The Book of Ursa
by Elizabeth Athineu
Summary: Cicero won't sit by and just watch his sister, Ursa, take on the role of concubine to aid the rebels! Ursa needs to find favour with the emperor to save her people and her beloved...Commodus himself.
1. One Night With the King, the Wrong Night

Chapter 1: One Night With the King, The Wrong Night

Ursa looked up at the palace entrance with agitation. The words she and her older brother had just exchanged that morning rang in her ears as loudly as the sounds of the city behind her.

"You are making an awfully big sacrifice, wee one.", Cicero had said as he held tightly to her. "But you must not be afraid. I'll be nearby at all times. You will be safe if everything goes according to plan."

Cicero and Ursa had been taken away from their home in Brittania when Ursa had been born. On the way to the capital city, their father had been killed from a small outbreak of a fever. Their mother, still recovering from a difficult birth, died not long after from a broken spirit. Cicero, a fourteen year old with a great deal of spark and attitude, was then made the sole caretaker of his one year old sister. He had gained employment as a sword carrier for one of the captains of the legions where he was scarred permanently by a jealous rival for the position. Cicero lost all chance of true advancement because of it, but it didn't really matter to him after a few months. Seeing what it meant to be in power in Rome was enough to turn any man away from wanting a position in government of any kind. He had managed to house Ursa with him at all times. When the wars in Germania began, Ursa had been a young girl. She had accompanied him as he gained the position of manservant to one of the greatest warriors for the military, Maximus. Now, the two had come back to Rome to try and undo what Cicero saw as the greatest injustice on earth. The new emperor, Commodus, was the spoiled and rather violent son of the previous emperor, Marcus Aurelius. Cicero's former master, Maximus, had been killed so that the little devil could assume the throne. A few of the former soldiers and servants under Marcus had decided to end the travesty of Commodus's reign before he could do much damage. It had been only three months since his reign began and already things were all squiffy. The emperor had passed three edicts limiting freedoms of speech and education, he had brought many exotic treasures into the palace at the expense of the people, he had been given a small harem of concubines by a group of senators who then increased it to near 300 young girls and boys. Ursa found it hard to believe that such an insecure little man would engage in promiscuity and sodomy, but Cicero reminded her that men changed when they gained power. He also reminded her that she had seen firsthand how cruel the little brute could be when he had come to Germania at the order of his father. Ursa had witnessed him viciously attacking a young servant outside his tent one evening. Ursa had been too frightened to try and find out why, but she did manage to render aide to the poor girl after the prince was gone.

The plan was for Ursa to be given to Commodus as a concubine by senator Gracchus. Gracchus also wanted the horrors of the young man's potential to end as soon as possible. Ursa had been told once that the emperor's sister, Lucilla, was also in on the planning. It didn't sit right with Ursa that the group was out for blood. She hoped that she might be able to prove that the emperor was simply a frightened child striking out at the darkness that was frightening him. It wasn't right to kill someone. Cicero had told Ursa that Commodus had killed Marcus Aurelius, then ordered the death of Maximus, then ordered the death of Maximus's lovely family. That somehow didn't seem right to her either, but she dismissed it as being due to the fact she was only a naive little girl by comparison to all of the rest of the group. She had held onto him just as tightly. Ursa had never been away from her brother. She had never known a man, but she had never spent an evening alone either. She was cried profusely for a week before she was to be given to the emperor. Finally, on the day she was to be sent to the palace for Gracchus, she managed to quiet herself enough to look simply terribly upset and not like she was mourning for an entire world that she was losing.

"I don't know if I can do this, Cicero.", she whispered.

"Of course you can, Ursa. I belive in you above all others. You're more cunning than you think.", he reassured. "Now, you must remember the protocol lessons from the past month. Being so new, you won't be called in to the emperor for a while. That is in your favour. Once things are settled and he calls for you, feign illness or the time of women and he will gladly leave you alone."

"I can't give muself to him!", she wailed. "I don't love him! I want to be married and have a family!"

"You _will_, little bear!", he quieted. He squeezed her and stroked her head softly. "This is only for a little while. We simply need you to be our eyes and ears in this matter. The emperor won't speak freely with his spies or Falco in the presence of Gracchus or his sister. You will have to be our spy in their place."

She whimpered and clutched his tunic like it would protect her from all evils. "I don't want to do this, Cicero.", she breathed.

"I know, but we've all made every sacrifice we can. No one else can do this. You are the youngest and most capable.", Cicero stated and then stood away from her a little, looking down into her eyes with a smile. "Besides, you're also the prettiest. The emperor wouldn't confide in any of the men of our coalition."

She laughed a little at the thought of that. Cicero reached down and kissed his sister's head. He handed her the small satchel that held her clothing, a few small scrolls of her favourite stories and poems, the necklace she had inherited from her mother, the ring she had been given by Maximus, and the earrings that she had purchased herself one year. She said goodbye to him one last time with the reassurance that he would stay as near to the palace as possible. Now she stood waiting for Gracchus to come and fetch her. A new chapter was about to begin for her. She didn't know whether she would enjoy any of the passages that were to come within it, but she knew she had to do this for her brother and the people she loved. Ursa had many friends in the military and among the other servants that knew her brother, but none near her age. She was always the youngest, the smallest, and the most naive. This ordeal seemed overwhelming and truly frightening. She breathed a slight sigh of relief and felt her heart leap in terror at the same time as senator Gracchus appeared and motioned for her to follow him.

"Are you ready?", he asked softly. She nodded quietly as he looked her over. "Good. You look like you've been pining."

"I'm alright. How do we begin this?", she asked.

"Well, you're in luck. The emperor is meeting with several aristorats from his birthplace this afternoon. His sister, Lucilla, will take you to the quarters used for the concubines. Until you've been properly interviewed by Laetus, the keeper, you won't be sent for. With Lucilla's approval, though, you cannot be denied a position.", Gracchus explained. "During the day you have free run of those quarters and those alone. It would be most unsafe for a young girl like you to simply wander around the palace. You could visit the gardens if you like, but do not go there alone. Be in your quarters before the sun goes down. All of your meals will be eaten with the others unless the emperor requests you join him. I don't forsee that happening."

"Will I ever be made to see him?", she asked timidly.

"In a week or two, perhaps. Laetus will not be returning from a visit to Sardinia until a week from tomorrow. The emperor will not send for someone new like you until he has given approval. It's just not done.", Gracchus assured. "You will be allowed to visit with your brother and I once a week. Until then,", he said handing her a bundle of parchment, "...you will need to keep records of what you see and hear. Keep them hidden for everyone's sake."

"How am I to do that if I stay away from the emperor and the rest of the palace?", she asked in confusion.

"After a week, you will be able to walk freely around the rest of the palace. You will have the best luck in finding out what we need late in the evening at the eastern varanda. That is where the emperor has been meeting with Falco.", Gracchus said smiling.

"Why did I come here this week instead of waiting until Laetus returns?", she asked as the rounded a corner and headed towards Lucilla's chambers.

"To get you settled without the pressure of being on call for him.", Gracchus explained. "Cicero has told us repeatedly that you are a tender young girl. I intend to protect that as much as possible."

As they reached the doors to Lucilla's chambers, Ursa felt relief washing over her. Perhaps this would be a little easier than she thought. She wasn't even going to be sharing quarters with the emperor. She might not even have to see him more than once. She felt nervous around new people and figures of authority no matter what the occasion. Gracchus reached for the doorhandle. The door suddenly burst open. Ursa felt all of the blood in her body evaporate at seeing the person in front of her.

"Senator Gracchus?", the emperor said looking at him and then the young girl beside him. "What are you doing here?"

"Presenting this young girl to Lucilla, sire.", he explained and bowed slightly. Ursa tried to keep her gaze turned downward. The emperor kept trying to look directly into her eyes, but Ursa continued to look away. He smiled a little, thinking that she was playing some sort of coquettish game with him.

"Why on earth do you need to do that? Is she a new servant?", he asked.

"No, sire.", Gracchus said simply. Commodus moved Gracchus to the left slightly to get a better look at Ursa.

"Nursemaid, then?", he asked moving a little closer to the girl. Ursa stepped back and looked down.

"No, sire.", Gracchus said firmly. He hadn't anticipated this at all. He kicked himself for not being better prepared for such an encounter.

"Then why do you need to present her to my sister?", Commodus said as he began to walk behind Ursa. "Surely she's not a relative I haven't been introduced to yet."

"No, sire. She is a candidate for the concubines.", Gracchus replied taking Ursa by the hand and pulling her close to him. Commodus lit up a little.

"Truly?", he asked in excitement. Ursa looked up at Gracchus in a mixture of terror and anger. "But Laetus isn't here to put her on the list and giver her a proper place."

"That is why we need to speak to Lucilla, sire. This young girl is a gift from me and has nowhere else to go at the moment. I know that the lady will make an exception and take her in to wait for Laetus.", Gracchus explained pulling Ursa all the closer as the emperor reached out for her hair. Commodus stood back a little, realizing that Gracchus would prefer for him to wait for a proper introduction to the girl. "If you will allow us through sire, the girl is tired from a long journey. She is from Brittania and I have been acquainted with her family for years."

"That's nice, senator. Alert me when Laetus returns.", he said smiling wickedly as he turned and left. Ursa turned and glared at Gracchus.

"You told me that I wouldn't have to see him until a week from tomorrow!", she protested in a whisper.

"Unfortunately, little girl, I do not have a leash to keep Caesar from wandering wherever he wants. He seems to find comfort with Lucilla alone, so he must have had a very poor visit with the aristocrats from Lanuvium. That was an unexpected nuissance, but it is over. Perhaps he will forget about you.", Gracchus offered. "But at least you know that he will not reject you."

"Why should that be a concern?", she asked as they knocked on the door.

"If the emperor rejects a concubine, then the senators are allowed to take her whenever they desire; as are the Praetorians. You truly do not want that, trust me.", he warned. Ursa gulped. She hadn't been told this. All relief and comfort was now gone. This was going to be much more difficult than she had expected. Lucilla opened the door and hurried the two inside. Ursa felt some small sense of belonging in the chambers of another woman. Ursa herself was only seventeen, but the presence of another female made her life that much easier. Ursa had, after all, been raised in a predominantly male environment. It was a true mystery as to how she had become so feminine and timid being raised around soldiers and menservants.

"Is this her?", Lucilla asked. She looked at Ursa skeptically. "She's awfully young. She still looks innocent. Are you sure she knows enough about protocol to complete this task?"

"There is no one else to attempt it, my lady. Do you wish to abandon the plan altogether and try to spy on Falco yourself?", Gracchus said sarcastically. Lucilla glared at him. "This is Ursa of the house of Cicero. Ursa, this is Lucilla daughter of Marcus Aurelius."

"She's not much, Gracchus. I'm almost afraid for her.", Lucilla said circling Ursa slowly. "Still, she seems unassuming. My brother will find that refreshing if he chooses to notice her. Yes, I think this might work to our advantage more than we anticipate."

"Good then. You can show her to her quarters and I can get back to the affairs of the senate.", Gracchus said. Lucilla nodded to him. He looked down at Ursa and took her hand. "Don't be afraid. If something should go wrong, scream for your brother or myself. Do you understand?"

She nodded. Gracchus nodded to both women and left quickly. Lucilla looked down at Ursa in slight disappointment once more. She sighed and motioned for the girl to follow her.

Ursa settled into the tiny room she had been given as best as she could. Most of the concubines all shared one room, but Lucilla had announced that Ursa was to be shown favour since she had pleased Lucilla. The truth of this being that Lucilla did not want to risk any of the others finding out about the plans the small rebellion was making becasue Ursa would have been too naive and careless to hide what she was doing and writing. Lucilla had little faith in anyone below her station, and this applied significantly to poor Ursa. Ursa had initially hoped to have at least a friend in Lucilla that she could call on at a moment's notice. This was definitely out of the question. She sighed and tried to concentrate on reading one of her scrolls and nothing else. Her heart was racing and her mind was spinning. She had no appetite for the rest of the evening, either. As the sun began to set, Ursa gave several prayers of thanks that the emperor had not sent for her. While it would be against protocol for him to do so, now that he had seen her and at least new what she was, he would be well within his unlimited rights as emperor to demand her presence. Ursa began to feel more relaxed than she had in days as the last rays of the sun melted into the horizon. Her expression and mindset dropped when a guard appeared at her doorway and demanded she follow him.

Commodus hadn't been able to shake the image of the young girl from his mind all day. Not at parctice with the other recruits, not at a meeting of the senate, not at the bath, and not even at supper. It was frustrating and wonderful at the same time. He wished he had demanded to know her name, at least then he would have a title other than 'new girl among the concubines' to place with her if he needed to call on her. The day had been miserable. He had twisted and cut his left arm severely in training, he had been chided more than usual by the hateful old men in the senate, the bath had been too hot and burned into the cut on his arm, and supper was not impressive at all. Sometimes he wondered fervently if it would be worth it to disappear into the artists quarter for a while and let Lucilla have the crown until he returned. He knew all too well that if he attempted to do so, then he would never see his throne again and would probably be assassinated in the process. There had been several attempts made on his life since he had come to be eight years of age. He sighed and had decided as he was reitiring to his quarters to have the girl brought to him that evening. She was weighing on his mind like a sharp edged boulder. He could think of nothing better to purge her from his system then spending a night with her. Perhaps he might even take a little joy in her company and find a future companion for nights like this one or worse. He sent one of the Praetorians into the concubines' chambers to find the 'new girl' and bring her to him. He emphasized that the young girl was indeed _very_ young. She had very dark hair, much like her brother, and deep green eyes that glinted blue in the right lighting. He sighed at the thought of this and began removing his armour. The door opened a moment later and the girl was shoved into the chamber. He turned and got a better look at her than he had been priveleged to aforehand. She looked up at him for a moment and then looked down. He smiled slightly, amused that she was still trying to be coy with him. He removed all unnecessary accessories to his attire. Even the crown that marked his authority was placed on the nightstand for the time being. Still wearing a fine, but more simple, tunic; he walked over to her slowly and put one hand on each of her arms. She tensed at this and looked away.

"You needn't be shy, now. I rather enjoyed seeing you earlier. I'd like to see more of you.", he said softly. Ursa felt her stomach turn and her skin freeze. She tried to find the words that her brother had suggested. All she would have to say was, 'I feel faint, sire' and drop to her knees, or 'I am at the time of my girlhood, sire' and again drop to her knees to make him back away and not touch her for quite a while. Her voice was caught somewhere within her and seemed to be hiding from both him and her. She trembled and opened her mouth slightly hoping that the words would form and slip out easily. He looked at her quivering chin and lips. He was tired of seeing the exotic and well-trained concubines that were gifts from the rest of the senators. This girl was indeed lovely and sweet. Gracchus kept company with only virtuous people, so it stood to reason that the only concubine he could offer would be of the highest and rarest quality. He would have to thank him in person tomorrow. He leaned down and kissed her passionately. Ursa froze. His presence was not unpleasant, but it was unexpected which made it very unwelcome at the moment. She remained still as he lingered for a moment. She smelled like fresh jasmine. Her body seemed to pulse with heat that wafted against him every few seconds. It was ecstasy. He looked down into her eyes and reached for her hair. Ursa found the strength to step back a little. He moved behind her and placed his arms around her waist, nuzzling the back of her neck as a lover. This was extremely unusual. Most men in power, emperor or otherwise, had a very specific agenda to fill when they came in to a woman. The goal could be completed in a matter of minutes and the man could get back to business quickly. Commodus found himself wanting to savour the entire night he had requested with her if that was possible. He wanted to make love to her, not simply ravage her. He turned her to face him and looked at her hungrily. It seemed strange to him that there was a glint of fear in her timid eyes, but he dismissed this as being something taught to her. The person that had given her to Gracchus had apparently emphasized to her that she behave as innocently as possible. It was unusual for him and delightful. He moaned sofly and kissed her again. Ursa found another wave of strength and bravery, and managed to pull away after a moment. She was growing tired of playing, he realized. There was only so much waiting a female could do if they had been trained correctly. He reached down and untied the cord that served as a sash for him. Ursa noted this and took a step back. He smiled and removed the tunic in one sweep. All that was left to keep him covered were the underclothes that all men in the palace wore. Ursa gasped and fell backwards onto one of the nearby couches. Her voice was now hidden more than ever. She fought madly within herself to grab hold of it and shout at him, but it seemed to have all but disappeared. He smiled and leaned over her taking hold of the simple gown that she wore by the shoulders. It suddenly clicked in her mind that this was her last chance to defend that which she held dear. Tears began streaming down her face and her voice broke free.

"Cicero! Cicero!", she cried. Commodus froze and stared at her blankly. "Gracchus!", she cried louder. He stumbled backwards a little, still staring at her. She continued crying both of the names and adding words like 'help me' and 'please save me'. He stared at her deeply for a moment. She wasn't toying with him. She hadn't been toying with him all evening. He had misinterpreted every look on her face and every move she had made in front of him. She was innocent. What was wrong with Gracchus? How could he do this to a young girl? Making love to a royal was traumatic for a woman enough, but add to that the pressure of giving her youth to him! That was uncalled for! He would have to thoroughly chastise the old fool in the morning. In the meantime, he would have to do something to calm this girl. Upsets to young women when their honour came into question could cause their very heart to fail, or so he had heard. He hurried to his door and demanded that the nearest guard fetch Galen, the physician and have him bring supplies for a frenzied woman. The guard said nothing and headed out towards Galen's quarters. Commodus quickly pulled his tunic back on and took the folded blanket off of the foot of the bed. While it was most irritating to have been denied physical fulfilment this night, the sound of a woman crying always made him feel terribly sad and almost guilty. Remnants of the guilt he felt for his mother's death haunted him with each tear and wail that she gave. He put the blanket around her and went to stand by the door. He felt it best not to touch her or go near her until Galen was finished. Galen arrived a moment after the emperor began to pace in front of the door. Ursa hadn't stopped crying, but she had ceased shouting for Cicero and Gracchus. Commodus knew who Gracchus was. He wondered if Cicero was her father.

Galen examined the girl and calmed her. He looked over at Commodus for a moment then back at her. He took her by the shoulders and stood with her. He turned towards the door, holding her around the shoulders comfortingly.

"I'll take her back to her quarters and treat her there. She will need to lie down and rest for a day. I'm afraid she's been terribly upset by something, highness, and will be of little use to you tonight or tomorrow.", Galen said. Commodus nodded and allowed the two to leave. He watched quietly as Galen led the huddled mass of tears and nerves away. Ursa felt relieved at the show of emotion. It had cleansed her spirit somewhat. She walked silently back into her chamber and allowed Galen to administer a draught to her. He watched her and tried to find out as much as possible about her until the potion put her to sleep. Galen was amazed at the small amount she was willing to divulge. He went back to the emperor's bed chamber after she had fallen sound asleep.

Commodus walked around his room unnerved. He always had trouble sleeping, but this was going to remove any want for sleep at all tonight. He sighed and listened for Galen to come back and give him a report. The physician was escorted into the imperial bed chamber a moment later. Commodus turned to him inquisitively. Galen was amused to see that the emperor's concern seemed to be genuine this time.

"She's still innocent, sire.", he stated.

"I gathered that when she began screaming.", he said sighing. "Is she alright now?"

"She's sleeping peacefully. I gave her a draught to ease her into a good calm tonight. I should like to do it again tomorrow. She is an orphan, sire. She has been raised by her brother and has never been away from him before. For a female, that's quite alot to handle.", Galen explained.

"Cicero must be her brother.", Commodus muttered to himself. "What in the world was senator Gracchus doing with her, then? She shouldn't be here, she should be at home with her brother! Orphans are traumatized too greatly to be at court without breeding or among the concubines without training. Shame on him!"

"That aside, sire. I think it's best she remain isolated from you or any direct contact with the Praetorians tomorrow.", Galen stated.

"Why? I want to see how she is fairing in the morning.", Commodus said angrily.

"Understandable, sire, but she is still going to be in a frenzy tomorrow. I will give you an update to her condition. I really don't think she belongs here, sire. I think you should send her home.", Galen said sadly.

Commodus frowned. The girl had seemed too good to be true for a reason. He sighed and nodded. "I will do as you asked, Galen. Thank you for coming so quickly."

"It's a good thing I did, sire. Young girls in distress can fade very easily. They have such delicate constitutions.", Galen said as he got up to leave. "Just busy yourself with another, sire. One with more experience and that is more trained to suit your needs."

He nodded and motioned for the man to leave. Galen bowed and left the room. Commodus felt terrible. He had attacked people before in fits of rage, but usually those people were either used to handling his tantrums or deserving of his wrath. He sighed. He had never made another human being react the way that she had. It was almost terriffying. What if Galen's treatment had been given too late? What if she had been so upset that she faded anyway? Thoughts as terrible and nagging as these began to flood his mind until he could stand it no longer. The girl was asleep, Galen had said so and wouldn't dare lie to him. He could simply go in and see that her breathing and heartbeat were steady. He wouldn't even be noticed. He slipped out of the room and headed into the quarters at the eastern end of the palace where all the concubines were kept. She wasn't laying visibly among the others in the main chamber. He looked around for a moment, then noticed an anteroom off to one side with the door slightly closed. He walked over to it and peeked inside. His heart leapt happily at seeing the young girl from earlier sleeping peacefully on the small bed at the end of this tiny room. He cautiously walked over to her and examined her. She was breathing softly and seemed to have simply fallen asleep. There were no signs of distress, now. He smiled and touched her forehead gently. She smiled and whispered something before shifting and rolling to her side. He reached down to her chest and felt for her heartbeat. It was strong and steady as any normal healthy person. He smiled and touched her face once more before leaving. He was a little relived to hear that she had suffered such a miserable life so far as an orphan. Not because cruelty within him took delight in hearing about the misfortunes of others, but because it meant that he himself had not overturned her entire exsistance and overwhelmed her with sorrow. She simply needed to adjust. He could wait for that. She didn't need to be sent home, he just needed to be patient. In her dreams, Ursa relived the past few days, but a little more calmly. She began to compile a plan for gathering information and ensuring her survival at the same time. Both young individuals had quite a hard few days ahead of them. Hopefully now, they would not be facing this alone.


	2. The Next Day of the Ordeal

Chapter 2: The Next Day of the Ordeal

Cicero went quickly to the palace gate and up to the main entrance. He sent a messenger inside with a note for Lucilla and waited patiently. After a moment, the emperor's jealous sister appeared in the entranceway and motioned for Cicero to walk with her. He stared at her in disbelief for a moment, but then followed.

"How is she? Did she sleep well?", he asked.

"Try not to get too upset, but the emperor called for her last night.", Lucilla began. Cicero's expression dropped and he began to turn red everywhere but the two scars that marked his character. "I'm afraid it didn't go so well. Luckily, the physician wasn't too far away and..."

"Physician!? What did he do to her!?", Cicero demanded.

"Not much. Apparently he was too shocked to take your sister to his bed.", Lucilla explained. Cicero leaned against a wall and steadied himself for a moment. "She began to scream for you and Gracchus so the emperor allowed Galen to take her back to her room and treat her for panic. She's resting today."

Before Lucilla could say anything else, Cicero took hold of her throat and held her violently against the wall. "Where are her quarters? Where!?", he demanded.

"The eastern side of the palace.", she choked. Cicero dropped her quickly and raced into the palace past the servants who had just witnessed the display. She motioned for them to continue as she headed after the enraged manservant. Cicero raced into the area where the concubines were kept, only to be held back by a guard.

"Hold on there, young man. Only the emperor, Laetus, and those he has given permission to may go beyond this point.", the guard said firmly.

"My sister is in there. I need to take her home. I was wrong to ask her to giver herself to the emperor, she's too young.", Cicero breathed. The man frowned.

"I'm sorry, young man. Once a girl has been given to the emperor as a concubine, then she is his slave. She can't be taken home like any other servant.", he explained. Cicero felt every muscle in his body go numb and then limp for a moment. The moment was brief enough for him to catch himself and take a few deep breaths. He looked up at the man. "You could always petition the emperor to send her with you, but that would give her a very low place in the world."

"Lower than being the emperor's whore!?", Cicero yelled. The guard glared at Cicero and pushed him forward, away from the doorway.

"These young men and women are well cared for and have a stable place in the empire. There's a small cost on their part, but we all make sacrifices in the long run.", the guard said calmly. Cicero felt the words he had used to coax Ursa into coming here and soothing his own conscience burning bitterly in his ears as it came from the mouth of another. He choked a little and looked back at Lucilla enraged. She frowned and looked at him inquisitively.

"Cicero, you knew about the policy surrounding concubines. You must have.", she reasoned.

"No I didn't!", he shouted. He panted in desperation and true sorrow. He had lost the only family he had in the world to the little brute on the throne. All in the name of a few bits of information that Lucilla may or may not have been able to gather herself. Even in this rebellion, the aristocrats were selfish pigs. He fought back tears. "I knew of the position of servant. Body servant and otherwise, nothing more. But you counted on that, didn't you? You knew that if I knew what the position would do to her then I wouldn't have given consent for Gracchus to take her!"

The guard frowned deeper and felt his heart ache slightly for this young man. He placed a hand on his shoulder. "The girl will be well cared for. The emperor doesn't call for a concubine every night and I hear he is more gentle than most with them.", he reassured. "Also, she has the protection of all the Praetorians and the palace walls themselves."

"You lied to me!", Cicero shouted angrily at Lucilla. He turned around and began to head for the throne room.

"Where are you going?", Lucilla asked.

"To your brother. I want my sister.", he said firmly. Lucilla sighed and followed after him.

"If Commodus sends the child home, then she can never have a proper position in the empire and she will never have a trusting husband.", Lucilla reasoned. Cicero whirled around in anger.

"And you can gaurantee both of those things for her here?", he demanded.

"No one can guarantee those things for her. Especially now.", Gracchus said as he approached. Cicero clenched his fists and tried to keep himself from striking the man. "Ursa had little chance of a stable life living among servants and soldiers, young man. Surely you realize that."

"She had me! We had each other! Here she will be a prisoner to both the emperor and her own body!", Cicero raved. He glared at both of them. "She cried last night, she must have. I wasn't there. I didn't comfort her!"

"You didn't need to. Galen saw to her quickly and Commodus didn't harm her permanently.", Lucilla reasoned.

"She still needs me, you fools! She's still a young girl!", Cicero said panting. "You promised. You promised that it would be temporary. You promised that she could come home if things went wrong.", he said softly as he slunk to the floor holding his head. He looked up at them. "What will happen to her when he is dead?!"

"She will be given back to me or to another nobleman to be looked after for the rest of her life.", Gracchus explained. "She will want for nothing."

"Won't she? She will be a slave for the rest of her life thanks to you two!", he shouted madly. A hand softly touched his shoulder. He instinctively held onto it and began to breathe heavily.

"What's all this about?", a man's voice asked. Cicero tensed and pushed the hand away from him. Cicero rose slowly and turned to face the little runt that had entered the room. He growled and stared directly into the young emperor's eyes. "What is going on?"

Cicero threw a full punch into the armoured youth. Fortunately for him, the emperor didn't wear armour on his face. Commodus flew back a few feet and felt blood begin to trickle down his nose and mouth. He reached up and tried to simply wipe it away, but the flow coming from his nose continued after one swipe. He groaned at the sight and smell of his own blood. Lucilla cried out softly and Gracchus took a protective step back.

"This is for every tear she shed on your account!", Cicero shouted angrily as he grabbed the fallen ruler by the collar and hoisted him up to face him.

"Cicero, stop!", the emperor yelled. This caught the young man off guard significantly. He stopped his punch in mid air and stared at the emperor harshly.

"You know who I am?", Cicero said softly. Commodus looked at him with slight admiration and empathy.

"Your sister cried out for you.", he replied.

Cicero growled and truly felt like handing another blow to the arrogant little weasel in front of him. Still, the fact that he had taken note of the name Ursa had shouted was commendable. He lowered the younger man to the floor and released him. Five Praetorians ran into the room and began surrounding the two, readying to kill Cicero on sight. Commodus put up his hand defensively. He stared fully at Cicero, who looked back without fear. Commodus could see true sorrow in his eyes. The young girl must have really been the only family he had left in the world. There was no telling just how close these two were. After all, he knew first hand what it was like to lean on a sibling after the death of a parent. He sighed.

"I want my sister;_ now_.", Cicero stated in a low tone. Commodus frowned a little. Even if he did allow the poor girl to go home, there was no way this side of the river styx that she would have a decent life. A 'released' concubine or candidate was a terrible title for someone to bear, but especially someone so young. He tried to think of something quickly. An idea popped into his head almost instantly.

"Your sister is a candidate for a concubine, yes?", he asked. Cicero growled a little more and nodded. "Then she does not have their responsibilities yet. Laetus, the keeper of the women and men will return in one week. If he finds that she is too young for such a thing, then she will be sent home immediately with documentation of the fact that it was her youth and youth alone that caused her rejection."

Cicero looked less than comforted by this. "I want my sister; _**now**_.", he repeated. Commodus felt his limited patience being tested far too greatly for this time of morning; especially after the night he had endured.

"I told you what must be done for her.", Commodus countered in an even lower tone. "If you like, then you may come into the courtyard every day and watch the women from a distance and recieve a report from my sister."

Cicero looked down and held back both rage and tears. Commodus could almost feel the horrible sadness and frustration this young man was suffering.

"I have never been without her.", Cicero added. "She has never been without me."

Commodus nodded. "You forget, citizen, I myself have a sister."

"Yes, but you have never been deprived of her.", Cicero said angrily. He walked up to the emperor, leaving only a few inches between their faces. "You know nothing about what I am facing."

"No, I do not. And I promise that I will do my best to keep the suffering to a minimum for both of you.", he said softly. Cicero nodded.

"Do not touch her. Do you understand me?", Cicero warned. The guards moved forward a little, but Commodus motioned for them to stay their hands. He nodded to the young man in front of him. He knew how hard Cicero must have been fighting to keep from wailing or killing something. The man must have had bravery and strength beyond any of the soldiers in the ranks. Commodus stopped for a moment. Hadn't he seen this young man before? He seemed familiar somehow and the thought of the army had brought this to his attention. He tried to place the young man's face with some of the recruits he had seen in Germania, but he couldn't picture him in a uniform. "She isn't used to sleeping without me."

"I'm afraid she will be sleeping alone for the next week. If she begins to pine or cannot sleep at all, Lucilla will tend to her.", Commodus stated. The statement told Cicero two things. One, the girl would be fine on her own for a little while. After all, she wasn't an infant anymore. Two, neither he nor any of his other concubines would be sleeping with her. The wording should have insighted some trust within the young man for the time being. Cicero nodded and took a step away from the emperor. Commodus turned and looked at Gracchus very angrily. Cicero noticed this and took another few steps back. "You should leave for now, Cicero. I will see to this matter personally. I apologize for the hardship you will suffer for the next few days. Though I don't believe...", Commodus said as he walked slowly over to Gracchus and Lucilla. He glared at the senator and didn't lock eyes with his sister at all. "... that I am the only one that is qualified to give you an apology."

"I will return tomorrow.", Cicero said quickly and turned to leave. Gracchus moved to follow him, but Commodus gave a stern look to the old man.

"Where do you think you're going, senator?", he asked coldly.

"I was going to show our young friend where he should stand in the courtyard tomorrow.", Gracchus said with a bow.

"That won't be necessary. I will see to that tomorrow.", Commodus stated firmly. "Tell me, Gracchus; did you know that the girl was a virgin?"

"Of course, sire.", Gracchus said softly. "I wouldn't bring you a girl off the streets of with an established reputation."

"Commendable, but that was cruel.", Commodus replied.

"Cruel, sire?", Gracchus said angrily. "I hardly think presenting my emperor with a gift like that is cruel by comparison to my emperor breaking protocol and trying to force himself on her before she had been processed into the rest of the concubines."

Commodus glared at him. The palace had begun to come alive with the rest of the staff and a few senators walking around. Now was not the time for one of his outbursts. He had recieved enough ridicule for such things as of late. He growled and looked up at the old man with near hate in his eyes.

"I think before you give such firm advice, Gracchus, you should remember _what_ I am.", Commodus warned. "I also recommend that before you bring a young girl before me, that she know precisely why she is here and she be a willing participant."

"Forgive me, sire, but since when has that been a concern of yours among any of the concubines?", Gracchus countered as more people began to form around them with curiosity. "In all fairness, highness, you have taken nearly more than a hundred concubines to your bed over the years and haven't once stopped simply because they cried for their families or felt a little shy in front of you."

"You are absoloutely right, Gracchus. Then again, I have never had a friend offer me an innocent little girl who has barely become a young woman.", Commodus replied icily. "Not to mention the fact that she is a helpless and vulnerable orphan who has never been away from her brother for protection and company."

"Sire, I simply felt that you needed a companion that was more suited to your own maturity.", Gracchus spat hatefully. The crowd of nobles, servants, and senators behind them began to snicker at the statement. Commodus reached for his sword, but simply clutched it tightly without drawing it.

"While I am flattered by that, Gracchus, I believe you should reconsider your choice. You see, I am a tad more mature than the small boys you have as body servants in your home, but having so many of them around you all of the time must be truly confusing when it comes to understanding me.", Commodus quipped back. The group snickered loudly at this. "All is forgiven. Now, the sun has risen and I believe that the arena has opened for the morning."

The group began murmuring excitedly. Commodus glared once more at Gracchus, then motioned for Lucilla to follow him out of the room. He turned back to the guard at the door of the chamber for the concubines and told him to go in and see about the condition of the young girl in question. The man nodded. Commodus would expect a report as soon as he came back from the games. In her room, Ursa began to stir slightly. She prayed that as she opened her eyes, she would be back at home and Cicero would be waiting for her. Her heart and spirit sank tremendously as her vision settled and her fears were realized.


	3. Father and Son and Fatherless Daughter

Chapter 3: Father and Son and Fatherless Daughter

Ursa had spent the morning quietly sitting in her small room after Galen had been called to see about her. He planned to bring her more of the draught that afternoon just to be safe. He spoke to her at a little greater length about why she had come to the palace as a concubine and why she was so terriffied of being with the emperor. Ursa did quite well in hiding the true reason for her 'employment' in the palace. She was also able to indirectly gather some little known medical facts about Commodus. Galen told her that few people knew this, but the emperor had a strange condition that could cause his breath to randomly stop in his sleep. It had plagued him since infancy and Galen had yet to find a way to treat it. Also, Commodus was violenty allergic to certain insect stings. He had never fully succomb to their poisons, but he had in the past become very ill from being stung or bitten. Ursa found herself feeling sorry for the little twerp. He had nightmares, insomnia, fits of sadness, terrible loneliness, breathing problems, and horrible skin reactions from time to time. Hardly the list of ailments usually attributed to a Roman warrior or great Caesar. She sighed and wrote down everything she had learned after Galen had left the room.

She heard the other concubines leaving their quarters and talking excitedly about seeing the Spaniard at the colosseum. Ursa had no desire to ever view the games for a very specific and secret reason. The only great displays of strength she had seen were among praticing recruits. That had been enough. If the people simply wanted violence, then perhaps the emperor should simply make the training of the armies public in the colosseum. She shook her head and slipped out of the room to look around a little. To her surprise, there were minimal guards there. Most everyone must have been off at the games. She smiled and headed out to the rest of palace to explore. Unfortunately, the one guard that had been left posted at the door had been forewarned about her. She was not permitted to leave. She groaned and simply went to explore the rest of the quarters themselves. One wall that was covered by an unusual tapestry caught her eye. She noticed that there was an unusual crack in the wall behind the drapery. She could only see the bottom of it at first, but after moving the tapestry aside she could clearly see that there was something odd about this wall. She pressed gently on the crack and jumped backwards. The wall began to move backwards. She smiled and pressed on it again. The small section that was outlined by the crack moved backwards and allowed her into what appeared to be a tunnel. She smiled brightly and raced into the forbidden territory. The passageway was long and winding, but mostly very dark. To her relief, it was much cooler in this part of the palace. Ursa was extremely sensitive to heat and the mediterranean sun was never in agreement with her towards the summer. She walked further and further until she found herself in a most amazing chamber.

All around her were artifacts. There was ancient weaponry, statues, portraits, and things that Ursa had no description for. This must have been somekind of subterranean treasure trove for the Roman empire. There were such magnificent things just piled up down here! She walked happily among the beautiful paintings and tapestries. She admired the finery and weapons. She finally began to examine each of the busts and statues carefully to see if she could identify each one accurately from her history lessons with Maximus. She sighed a little at the thought of him. He had quite simply helped raise her. She missed him like a dear uncle. She finally came upon the bust of Marcus Aurelius. It was a fine likeness. Ursa half expected the raspy old man to ask her what she was doing there, but fortunately the statue remained silent. She looked down around the base of it. There were a few coins with his likeness still etched in them and a magnificent sword that he himself had used in battle in his youth. Ursa found it strange that he had not passed the blade on to his heir. Commodus was physically perfected, but hadn't been a soldier that she had been aware of. He acted as regent in his father's place after being initiated into co-emperorship at the tender age of fourteen. Ursa could not imagine bearing even half of the burden of the empire at this age let alone fourteen. She shook her head and felt a wave of pity for the little tyrant who occupied the throne.

She suddenly heard footsteps behind her. Ursa ducked behind some other statues and a column. By the light of a single grating at the top of one of the walls, Ursa could clearly see a staircase leading down into the area opposite from where she had entered. She watched a dark figure descend the stairs holding onto a torch. She tried to focus to make out the features of the guard or servant that was getting nearer to her. Ursa felt her stomach drop as she found familiarity in the face of the man. It was the emperor. She watched silently as he approached the bust of his father. She stayed very still and watched intently as he reached down and picked up the sword at the base. He held it to the statue's chin and whispered something to it. The young man's face suddenly twisted in anger. He raised the sword and began to simply swing and hit the stone head of his father. Ursa felt a gasp leave her involuntarily with every clang against the marble. She gulped and tried to silence herself fully. Luckily, the noise from the 'attack' were blocking any soft cries or laboured breathing she might have been allowing through. After a moment, he threw the sword to the side and grabbed the back of the statue's head with his right hand. Everyone in the kingdom knew that Commodus was left-handed and quite proud of it. He raised his left hand in a firm fist and acted as though he would simply punch the statue's lifeless face. Ursa gasped a little louder and braced for the sounds to follow. The breaking marble, the clattering to the floor, the cracking bone, and the shrill scream of the emperor. Instead, she heard nothing for a brief second. She opened one eye and saw him standing frozen in front of the statue with his fist only a centimeter from the face. She opened the other eye and watched closely. Commodus fell onto the statue with his arms folded around its neck. He sobbed harshly and shook with every breath and tear. Ursa felt her heart rip in two at seeing this. He seemed so mournful, so frightened. Just like a little boy crying for his daddy because he had left and refused to come back. She had remembered seeing Cicero crying like this once or twice on the anniversary of their mother's death. It was truly terrible. She felt the sudden urge to comfort him as he began to sink to the floor in tears. Without thinking, Ursa rushed forward and took hold of his shoulders from behind.

He remained unmoving except for the sobbing and trembling. Ursa embraced his shoulders and head tightly, offering the comfort he desperately needed. She stroked his head every now and then. He began to calm down slightly.

"It's alright. You're safe and everyone in the palace is here to help you.", she said softly. She tried to think of something to say that would finalize this and give him the comfort she could not give throughout the rest of the day. "We love you."

He tensed. Ursa felt this immediately. What she had said was indeed what he needed to hear, but now he would want to see who had said it. He reached up and carefully placed his hands over her folded arms. Ursa squeezed a little more to see if he would relax slightly. To her delight, he did just that, and she was able to slip away in the direction she'd come from very quickly. Commodus turned around in a flash, but saw no one. He scanned the entire room carefully, but saw no one. He frowned and hurried around the rest of the chamber looking for something, or someone. He sighed and headedd back up the stairs when it became painfully obvious that he had imagined the whole thing. He climbed slowly up the steps and back out into the main part of the palace. He looked over at the nearest guards that were keeping watch.

"Did someone exit through this door a little before me?", he asked. The guards looked at one another and then back at their emperor.

"No, sire.", they said in unison. He nodded and headed back for his chamber. What a silly thing to imagine. He wondered if it was simply the lack of sleep and loss of appetite he had suffered lately. Such things were notorious for playing tricks on one's mind. Add to that the fact that he had just been confronted with a death sentence. Maximus was alive. He was the famed 'Spaniard' that Rome had anticipated seeing in the arena. Maximus was a cunning and vile creature. He had killed Marcus Aurelius and refused responsibility for it. Commodus had ordered that he be taken out and executed at dawn, but apparently that order had fallen through. He hated for things to go wrong after he had given such specific instructions! He grumbled as he sat down at his desk and began to sign a few necessary documents. His sister entered the room a moment later. He felt a little relieved at this. Lucilla had taken the place of his mother at age six. She wasn't always kind and understanding, but she was the last remnant of normal family life that he could count on in his life. While it was sad to have to admit that, Commodus did what most humans do to survive on a daily basis; repressed. He looked up at his sister and sighed. He had to tell her what had happened. Even if she thought he was mad, he had to tell someone.

Ursa sat timidly in her quarters. As the sun began to go down once more, Galen came into her room and sat down on the edge of the bed.

"Are you doing much better this evening?", he asked.

"Yes, thank you.", she said softly.

"Excellent. Let me have a look at you, then.", he said motioning for her to lie back. Ursa obeyed and allowed him to examine her breathing, heartbeat, temperature, and colour. She seemed to be in perfect health. He smiled and patted her shoulder. "You can sit up, now.", he said. Ursa sat up and rubbed her shoulders pensively. It wasn't cold in the room, but Ursa had a habit of rubbing her shoulders as if needing warmth when she was hiding something. It was a trait she had inherited directly from her mother. Galen turned to her and handed her another small cup. "Take this tonight again. I think it will help for you to have it a second time."

"Why?", she asked nervously.

"Upsets for a young woman can prove deadly. The more I can make sure that you are calm and settled, the better off everyone will be.", he explained. "The emperor was quite unsettled last night as well, my dear. I think he should have gone ahead and worked out his frustratuon with another woman, but he seems to be focused on one woman at a time. It's a silly thing for a royal to do, but he is emperor."

"I think it's much more noble than simply taking the nearest female and ravaging her like an animal without restraint.", Ursa said admirably. "He simply needs to refine it into sleeping with only one woman forever. That would be ideal."

"Goodness, where did you get such a notion? Do you not understand the purpose of a concubine? Royal men have insatiable lusts from time to time. Since royal blood is hotter than a peasant's, it must be indulged or it will do one of two things; kill the person or make them go mad. Either one is most unpleasant for everyone in the empire.", Galen explained. 'Truthfully, without concubines at his disposal, the emperor would cease to be capable of ruling. He would be a mass of nerves and passions. That's a horrifying thought, isn't it? You really do play such a vital role for Rome."

"I'm not sure it works that way, sir.", Ursa said as she shifted.

"Nonsense! I'm a physician and therefore know all about these things.", he said proudly. "Now, that draught should take effect in less than an hour. I suggest you lie back and go over some verses of fine poetry or a song. Something that truly improves the character of a woman.", Galen instructed. "Personally, I find a woman that can read and write like a poet far more attractive than one with large breasts."

Ursa blushed brightly and turned away. Galen chuckled and apologized for his forwardness. He bowed and left the room to give the emperor an update on the girl's condition. Ursa layed back and tried to go over what she had said to Lucilla that afternoon. Lucilla had explained that Cicero would not be able to see her in person for one week, but she could look out of the eastern window tomorrow and see him standing. Ursa missed her brother terribly. It left a gaping hole within her like the wound left behind when a flaming arrow was ripped from the chest. She winced. Not at the thought of the blood pouring from the entrance sight or the torn flesh and bone, but at the thought of being without Cicero for a whole week. She had to be stronger than ever.

Galen approached the emperor in his quarters. He stood over his desk, sulking like a cat. Galen shook his head and bowed low as the emperor noticed him.

"She's doing much better this evening, sire. I gave her more of the draught and she seems to be taking to it very well.", Galen said. Commodus nodded and looked away. "If nothing else, sire, she will be most amusing for you. She has the wildest notions about how women and men should be handled whether royal or not. I'm sure she understands how silly they are, but it is so amusing to hear them spoken in that innocent and serious little voice."

"Yes. I'm sure it is.", Commodus muttered and continued staring into nothing. He thought back to his sister's scornful laughter when he had told her about the aparition in the archives that had comforted him. He looked up at Galen in all seriousness. "Galen, do you love me?"

Galen felt his heart and lungs shrink. There were two ways to answer this and both had terrible reprocussions. Then again, he had never known Commodus to be interested in male intimacy, so in that regard he was fairly sure he was safe. He looked up at his ruler nervously.

"All of your subjects love you, Caesar. I am no exception.", Galen replied cautiously.

"Then it would be perfectly normal for a random subject to say to me that they love me.", he said softly. Galen stared at him for a moment and then smiled.

"Was a young lady professing a little more than loyalty, highness?", he asked with a wink.

"It sounded like a young girl. It must have been. That kind of voice is unmistakable.", he said flatly. "That and her touch was so tender; just like my mother. I thought I could smell flowers when she was behind me."

Galen raised an eyebrow. It wasn't everyday that the emperor was willing to share stories from his intimate moments with other people. He sighed and turned to Galen.

"That's all I really needed to hear, wasn't it?", he said sadly. Galen stared at him in confusion. "She told me it was alright, that I was safe, that I was cared for here in the palace. And then she says 'we love you' and that's all. It was so strange. So beautiful, but so strange."

"It sounds like a dream, Caesar.", Galen said with a laugh. Commodus glared at him angrily. Galen gulped and then bowed low, excusing himself from the emperor's presence. Commodus picked up a small wooden doll of a woman and then one of a man. He set them side by side and stared longingly at them. What on earth was wrong with him? He felt sad seeing two dolls all because it occurred to him that they weren't alone. He needed to go and run for a little while. Then perhaps he could check on the new girl in person. He felt terrible that Cicero was going to have to spend one long and grueling week without the most important person in his life, his sister. Commodus found himself wishing that he had been in these shoes occassionally, but after seeing the desperation an sorrow in Cicero he thanked the gods that he and Lucilla had yet to be physically seperated from one another.


	4. Ursa Luna, Bear Moon

Chapter 4: Ursa Luna, Bear Moon

Cicero was shown where he could watch for Ursa the next day. However, Cicero usually went above and beyond what he simply _could_ do and that often meant going far beyond what he _should_ do. He crept under the shrubs that lay just beneath the windows of the women's area and peeked up, looking for Ursa. Ursa sat off to the side. She seemed so out of place around the rest of these women. For her own sake, Lucilla had demanded that she be kept seperate. After all, new girls were usually quarantined for six weeks. Cicero had done a little research the night before about a concubine's role and the preparation they went through. He prayed that poor Ursa would not be required to undergo such a travesty. He called to her quickly and then ducked down. Ursa looked in his direction, but didn't move. He smiled and raised his head, calling again. Cautiously, Ursa walked over to the window and looked out. Cicero popped up. She cried out for a moment, then realized it was her brother, not an assassin standing below her. She gasped and held onto him tightly.

"Can I go now? Have you come to take me home?", she whispered. He looked from side to side. There didn't seem to be any guards present that would know who she was and try and stop them. Since Ursa hadn't been processed yet, she was not wearing the attire of a candidate and wouldn't be identifiable by a guard simply by appearance yet. Cicero looked up at her and smiled.

"Yes, little one. Come quickly. You and I can go back to the outskirts and forget this ever happened.", he replied quietly.

"But I haven't gathered anything for the cause, yet. Is that going to be an issue?", she asked making sure no one else was listening.

"Fie on the cause! I'll find another way to get what we need. If you stay here any longer than you will lose your innocence and your freedom.", he said. Ursa looked at him with curiosity. He frowned. "Concubines are slaves, Ursa, not servants. They are without rights as citizens whatsoever."

"That's not fair!", Ursa said a little louder. Cicero reached up and touched her shoulder to quiet her.

"I know, that is why you must come with me now.", he whispered urgently. "Quickly, while no one is watching."

Ursa began to climb over the window edge and out to her only source of love and protection. She stopped. The memory of Commodus kneeling and weeping in front of the statue the day before came into her mind. Who was his source of comfort and and protection? He had felt truly hurt and Lucilla hadn't been there to help, neither had the guards, and none of the senators would ever be placed in that role. She thought carefully about this. If she went back with her brother, then she would be leaving the palace without permission after raising such a fuss in being allowed to stay. The emperor's sister was the only person that could truly give her permission to leave. She would be breaking the law and would therefore have to be in hiding for the rest of her life. She would never have a normal husband or family if she was an outlaw. She sighed and looked back up at her brother. She couldn't leave like this. It would hurt her future and possibly the future of the pathetic emperor.

"I can't.", she realized aloud.

"Yes, you can. Just climb out a little further and I'll help you with the rest.", Cicero instructed. "No one is watching, little bear, come one!"

"No, Cicero, it isn't that I can't climb out. I can't leave.", she explained moving back inside. He stared at her horrified.

"If he's compromised you at all, it can be dealt with. You can still leave.", he offered.

"It isn't that, either, Cicero. If I leave now then I would be disobeying the emperor's sister. I would never be able to live as a proper citizen.", she explained. He stared at her in disbelief. Since when had she become concerned with legalitlies? Not that legalities had ever been an issue for them to deal with, but Ursa had to be too frightened to worry about this at the moment. "Besides, what if the emperor needs me."

"Needs you!?", Cicero whispered angrily.

"I mean, for the moment. If he truly feels connected to me then that could help our cause, couldn't it?", she asked. He stared at her in desperation. He wanted her to come home this instant, but it would be an even greater task to 'kidnap' his own sister than simply walk out with one of the imperial candidates. He sighed.

"You don't have to do this, Ursa. If you stay, then they could very well keep you.", he reasoned. She smiled a little.

"I know, but I'm a little more clever than you think.", she replied. "After all, who else has been able to stave off his advances simply by calling for someone else?"

Cicero nodded. "I'll come every day to see about you until Laetus returns. After that, Ursa, it is out of my hands and yours. Think carefully about this."

"I will, brother. Don't worry.", she said and reached out to softly kiss his head. "I think I shall use my middle name from now on. It makes me sound less like an innocent little girl, don't you think?"

"In a manner, but Ursa Luna also sounds exotic which is to the taste of almost every man here.", Cicero answered. "Stay away from the men of the palace, little bear. Even Gracchus has flaws. You cannot be too careful from this point on."

"I am capable of many things, Cicero. You've taught me everything you know.", she said smiling more than she had in weeks. "Go on, before someone sees you."

He sighed, kissed her quickly, and then hurried away from the window. Ursa watched him sadly. She had just refused a chance at freedom and peace in her life. This would not be her last, according to him. She would have six more chances. She wondered if she would have the same strength and resolve these next few days. This would be truly difficult for her. The impact of what she had just done finally settled over her and the memory of Commodus along with the swelling of pity left her. What had she done? She had just given up a chance to end this madness and go home to her brother. She missed him so much. She had only been away from him for a day, but that was too long. She felt tears begin to course down her cheeks. Why did she have to be so stupid? The emperor didn't need her and in truth, neither did their cause. She couldn't wait until the next morning. She could slip away with her brother and never worry about this dreadful place again. She slunk back into the small room she had been given and cried bitterly.

Commodus paced back and forth in his chambers awaiting the word that it was time to attend the execution of the two soldiers who hadn't alerted him to Maximus's survival. Lucilla had suggested that they be executed immediately. Commodus simply wanted them imprisoned and tortured mildly for a few days, but Lucilla insisted that it would re-inforce all respect for him if he acted quickly and efficiently. He groaned. There were no good ways to end this whole ordeal that was vexing him. If he allowed these men to live and simply be punished, then he would be chided and possibly lose any respect from the military and the Praetorians. If he went through with the execution, then he would lose the respect of many subjects and be tearing apart two families. He knew for a fact that these two men had children and wives. He had decided to check on the history of each convict to see if they had truly acted out of sedition. They were loyal men and had never made any move against the empire. He felt a rock in the pit of his stomach at the thought of a young child growing up without a father because of him. He remembered being deprived of his father due to war and position in the empire. That was terrible enough, but to not even have the option of seeing one's father was terrible.

He leaned out the window and gazed over the rest of the palace and the city. He heard something unnerving as he stood there. It was a young girl wailing. It sounded almost exactly like that girl he had called for the night before. He had broken protocol in the hopes of having a wonderful night with a girl that had been untouched by the silly lessons and goings on that were common among the women in the palace. Not only was he going to be permanently denied the little beauty, but he was still being consumed by the mystery of the comforter he had not met in the catacombs the previous day. He had been so consumed, that he had forgotten to check on the girl. He tried to continue reminding himself of why he should go through with the execution. The crying continued and got a little louder. He groaned. There was no way he could concentrate with that carrying on. The harder he tried to think about the problem at hand, the more the crying seemed to eat at him. He growled. Why on earth wasn't someone silencing that girl? He began to wish desperately that she would simply lose consciousness and be done with it. The door behind him opened and Quintus, head of the Praetorian guard and the military itself, entered with a bow.

"The prisoners have been brought to the courtyard.", Quintus said. Commodus felt anger coursing through him as the incessant crying continued. "Sire?"

"What in the name of everything sacred is all that racket?!", he demanded. Quintus took a step back. Commodus felt the guilt for the death of his mother nagging at him again. He remembered going into her room late one night crying out after a terrible dream. His mother had awoken for a moment then screamed and grabbed her head before collapsing. He had tried desperately to wake her up, but she wouldn't move. She had still been quite weak from losing the baby that had been within her. Other than Lucilla, Commodus had been said to have had twelve other siblings. Only he and Lucilla had survived. Sometimes he wished that the others had survived as well, but then the thought of them being as miserable to him as his father and occasionally Lucilla also crossed his mind. Still, the memory of his mother's scream and then feeling her grow cold were becomming just as overwhelming as that accursed crying! He snarled and tossed a nearby goblet to the other side of the room. He turned angrily to Quintus.

"Where's the document with their confession of being traitors?", Commodus demanded.

"We don't have one, sire.", Quintus said in confusion.

"Then they're not guilty, are they?", Commodus replied angrily. Quintus stared at his moody young ruler in disbelief.

"Sire, perhaps I should..."

"Send the men home and stop that horrible crying at once!", Commodus shouted as he began to cover his ears.

"Of course, sire. Who is crying?", Quintus asked. Commodus turned to him and glared hatefully.

"Don't ask stupid questions, general! That girl down there is crying!", he growled. "Go down there and silence her."

"Do you want her unconscious, sire?", Quintus said. He knew that if he hit the girl the emperor was talking about without the emperor's direct command to do so, then he could be severely punished for damaging the poor thing.

"I don't care how you do it! Send for Galen and have him calm her. And be quick about it!", the young man exclaimed. Quintus bowed quickly and left. Commodus went and sat down on his bed covering his ears as best he could. He tried to breathe slowly and calm himself. After a few moments, the crying ceased and he felt relieved at the silence that settled over his spirit. It must have been that timid girl that had refused him the other night. He sighed and smiled at the thought she was calm again. Galen must have arrived very quickly and given her more of the draught. There was a knock on the door to his chambers. He stood and walked over to the door, opening it slowly. There stood Galen. Commodus stared at him in disbelief. "How on earth did you get back to this part of the palace so quickly?"

"What are you talking about, sire?", Galen asked.

"You just saw to that girl, she's been carrying on all morning and I sent for you to go in and calm her just a moment ago.", Commodus explained.

"Sire, no one has sent me into see the girl today.", Galen said.

"Well then who on earth stopped her from...", he said trailing off. He remembered that he hadn't commanded Quintus to only go and fetch Galen to see to her. He had said that he didn't care how he silenced the girl, only that she be silenced. He groaned and pushed past Galen out towards the eastern side of the palace. Galen watched in confusion. He had been bringing the emperor news of the plage that was slowly making its way into the Greek quarter, but the emperor seemed to still be preoccupied by that little siren from the other night. He sighed and followed after the young man.

Commodus arrived at the concubine's quarters and forced his way past the guard, three adoring young women he owned, and two women that were exceptionally angry with him. He walked worriedly into the small room that the girl had been sleeping in a day ago. Ursa sat in the corner of her room, huddled beside the bed. She looked up at the emperor. He stared at her for a moment. Her eyes were reddened and swollen from lamenting. He rushed over to her and took a good look at her.

"Did he hurt you? I'll have him flogged if he hurt you!" Are you alright?", he asked loudly. Guilt was still gnawing at him, but the memories of his mother had been pushed aside. That didn't make them void. In fact, the guilt he felt for his mother's death was spurring the concern that he felt for this girl.

Ursa stared at him in disbelief.

"He didn't touch me! He showed up for a moment, but I sent him away!", Ursa said defensively. Ursa thought to herself that someone had seen Cicero beneath the window and now there was question as to who he was and what business he had fraternizing with a concubine. "He saw how I was feeling and then left, I swear!"

"You needn't be so defensive of him! I gave specific orders regarding you and they will not be disobeyed.", he said firmly trying to embrace her softly. She pulled away and stared at him. "Don't be frightened, young girl, I'm not going to let anyone harm you."

"He wasn't trying to harm me. He was concerned for me, that's all.", she explained.

"He said that to you?", Commodus said confusedly.

"Of course. I am sorry to have been carrying on like that, one of the other women here told me that crying upsets you, so I will do my best to remain calm and keep things like my sorrow as quiet as possible.", she said lowering her eyes. Embarrassment washed over him and he felt his cheeks fill with warm blood. He turned away a little. He was being foolish again. Things like making sure the girl was unharmed were better handled by his messengers, he shouldn't be rushing to her side everytime he felt a little worried for her. For that matter, she was no one to him and he really had no place in feeling truly concerned for her. He simply needed to maintain her virtue and his promise to her brother. He sighed and stood up slowly.

"I apologize for the other night, young girl. It wasn't right for me to send for you without the proper steps being taken. It won't happen again, I assure you.", he said. Clearing his conscience as far as the horrible mistake he had made the other night would alleviate the majority of the guilt he was suffering. "If you need anything send one of the guards for Galen or my sister."

"Thank you, sire. It's alright. I'm safe here in the palace and everyone has tried their best to help me.", she explained. He tensed again. Those words. They were extremely similar to those that had been spoken by the mysterious girl that had comforted him yesterday. He stared at her unmoving for several moments. Ursa began to feel very afraid. She shifted and looked away. "I apologize again for upsetting you, sire."

"All is forgiven.", he muttered and continued to stare at her. She said nothing else and refused to look at him. There were only two ways for him to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that she was the girl from the catacombs. One would be to ask her to tell him she loved him. The other would be for him to order her to embrace him from behind. Either one was highly inappropriate. While he was emperor and could order anyone to do his bidding and be right in doing so, he really didn't want the reputation of being a heartless monster that went around shouting orders to random people to act on his whims. He felt that he had done the right thing in stopping the execution, but he didn't want anything else to happen that could bring his morals and respect into question. He simply nodded to the girl and left the room. This was truly perplexing. He sighed and passed Galen as he left the room. "Go and make sure she is still well." He turned to the guard at the door. "Send for Quintus to come and speak with me. I need to ask him about what he said to the girl."

"Very well sire, but Quintus hasn't been here all day.", the guard said with a quick salute.

Commodus felt another snap inside him. All of these shocking events and things out of place were making him feel quite ill. He shook his head and tried to gather his thoughts. If Quintus hadn't come into these chambers, then who was the girl talking about? Perhaps it had been Gracchus. He decided to go and ask a few questions. While he knew he should be concentrating on something else beside the situation with the girl, but it was a pleasant distraction from the predominant hatred that the empire seemed to have for him. They didn't love him, no one did. He sighed in realizing that it was unlikely that anyone would. He walked slowly towards the senate building and shook away the feelings of sadness that were beginning to overtake him again.


	5. Growing Bolder and Acting Tenderly

Chapter 5: Growing Bolder and Acting Tenderly

That night, Ursa began to think to herself about the thought of her brother taking her home in the morning. The emperor did seem a little concerned for her, but that certainly didn't mean he loved her. She sighed. Part of her had become a little excited at the idea of Commodus falling in love with her when she had first arrived here at the palace. Meeting him only spurred that on further, but then to be approached by him was overwhelming. Cicero had been very careful about her contact with males close to her age. She had never spent more than seven seconds with any man in her age bracket. If the man was twelve years older than her, or it was a boy that was six years younger than her, then she was permitted to spend more time around them provided it was supervised. Cicero had been forced into the position of protective father for Ursa. Not that he minded, but it was a truly difficult task with her being so lovely and kind. Maximus had helped step in and take care of her after they had met. It was a pleasure for him to have the company of the little girl after a long day on the battlefield and being away from his own family. It felt wonderful for him to be able to step into the place of uncle in the life of a girl that had no father. Both Cicero and Ursa truly missed Maximus. He had been unofficially accused of the murder of Marcus Aurelius by Commodus himself. Uunfortunately for the grieveing fledgling royal, there was no evidence for him to bring before the senate or a tribunal to convict the Spaniard. Maximus had openly accused Commodus of committing the crime. As punishment, Commodus had ordered Maximus be taken out at dawn and executed in Germania for treason rather than wait till returning to Rome and forcing a confession from him through slow and devastatingly painful torture. His land, servants, and family were to become property of the government; but word soon reached the emperor that a troop of bandits had ravaged the farm and its inhabitants. Commodus almost felt relieved that Maximus hadn't come home to such a thing, but mourned in a small part for the little boy and expectant woman that Maximus had carried on about. Ursa played all of these thoughts and memories through her mind. The group that wanted to rise against the young Caesar were acting out of fear and righteous anger for the state of the empire. Crime had risen considerably, taxes had been raised unjustly, two new plagues had sprung up, and there were hundreds of unneccessary arrests being made every day. Artists, scholars, Christians, mathemeticians, and even orators that spoke words that were considered simply a little 'seditious and slanderous against the empire and emperor' were arrested and thrown into the insatiable hunger of the colosseum. This included women, children, the elderly, and so on. It made Ursa and Cicero ill. Ursa didn't feel it right to murder Commodus even with all of this against him, murder should never beget murder, but she did wish these travesties would cease. She also wished more than anything that she was lying in bed beside her brother rather than awake and cold here at the palace. She had to go home in the morning, but she felt it wrong to return to her fellow labourers for the cause empty-handed. She slipped out of bed quietly and headed towards the tapestry on the odd wall with a strong purpose in mind. She carried a few pieces of the parchment and a piece of charcoal that she had found.

Commodus paced back and forth in the hall angrily. Falco sat not far away.

"I gave a very specific order! Why is no one listening to me!?", he ranted.

"The men have little resepect for you as it is, highness. You mustn't blame them, they see you as simply a boy.", Falco offered. Commodus snarled. "I say you send the Spaniard into the arena against four white lions and make a spectacular end of him."

"I am not going to give him a glorious death after what he did to my father!", Commodus shouted back. Falco sighed and shook his head.

"While I am truly in agreement with you, sire, the rest of the empire needs to see evidence before they will empathize with your wrath towards him. There is no such evidence. The surgeons all say the same thing, his breath gave out.", Falco repeated.

"Bollocks!", Commodus shouted angrily. (Although, being in the world of the ancients, I doubt that he truly used the word 'bollocks', but it was the closest non-compound naughty word in English I could use to regale what the poor dear actually meant) "His breath didn't give out, it was stopped! Maximus killed him! He must have snuck in and smothered him with a mantle or something. There weren't any other marks on him."

"Precisely, sire, which means that there was no sign of a struggle either."

"My father was a helpless, embittered, withered up old man. What kind of struggle would there have been against the brute!?", Commodus exclaimed. He stopped and leaned against a column, rubbing his aching head. As he stood there breathing slowly, Ursa made her way into the area, but remained hidden. She had manuevered her way through the catacombs using a torch that had been left on the wall; she had then ventured up the stairs and out into the rest of the palace keeping a sharp eye on which door it was that she had come through, then she had walked directly over to the eastern hall that Gracchus had said was used by the emperor and senator Falco to do most of their lecherous plottting. Gracchus seemed less inclined to accuse Commodus of mindless evil, but his thoughts were a little swayed by Lucilla and the fear of losing the stability of an empire he had sacrificed so much for. Lucilla had been the one to suggest that the group kill the emperor in the first place, feeling that he was dangerously beyond her control anymore. After hearing that, Ursa had gone home and fallen into Cicero's arms begging him not to be that vicious if she ever stopped strictly obeying him. Cicero had comforted his sister assuring her that he was not a royal and therefore did not have the same appetite for violence that Lucilla did. She probably didn't really want her brother dead, but she was very angry, sad, and disappointed all at the same time. Ursa listened closely to the two men and knelt to copy down a few of the important phrases the group would need to hear.

"Sire, Maximus is a vexation for you. You will not have peace until you kill him.", Falco said smoothly. "Send him against a foe that is impossible to destroy."

Commodus sighed. "That is still too good a death for him. He should have died in Germania as I decreed.", he grumbled. Ursa gasped. Maximus was alive!? Her heart raced happily at the thought of such a thing. Then it struck her that her brother had been right, Commodus did want Maximus murdered. What a cowardly little monster! "Still, if I can find a way to end the whole thing and gain a little favour with my people then that would be far better than satisying vengence with his blood alone."

"Might I suggest something, sire?", Falco asked. The odious senator already knew the answer to this. Commodus tried very hard to assert himself as a strong and powerful young man, but knew that all in all he was still just a scared and sorrowful little boy. He welcomed advice, but in trying to seem like an adult, often rejected the good advice that would mean doing what someone else believed was right. What the young ruler failed to see, was that every time he accepted advice he was proving mature, but the deciding factor in both what others thought of him and what he was slowly becomming was which advice he acted upon. To flex his authority, he often followed the advice that came saturated with flatteries. This was the custom of Falco and the other less than savoury senators that seemed more than happy to be 'friends' with the emperor even when he had lost popularity with the people. Commodus turned and looked directly at the seedy old man that sat before him. "The games you have orchestrated should be the grandest in our history. There is only one gladiator champion to have survived every match he has been in as the overwhelming victor; Tigris of Gaul."

"He is retired, Falco. He has three wives, five grown sons and three grown daughters.", Commodus countered. "He won his freedom long ago. I wouldn't want to bring him back to the arena where he could possibly die a very humiating death." Ursa stopped and listened. That was a little noble of the emperor to say, even if he was referencing the manner in which he would like to unscrupulously dispatch Maximus. "Besides, Tigris always kills as quickly and efficiently as possible. Maximus deserves to suffer for what he has done."

"Again, sire, there is no proof that he killed your father. It would be best to place such an accusation to the side and simply claim it as a personal vendetta of jealousy. After all, your father loved Maximus more than you.", Falco chided . Ursa looked up at the men's faces flickering in the torchlights. He blamed Maximus for his father's death? Commodus suddenly turned a bright shade of red and began to stand very still. Ursa wondered if he was readying to strike Falco in rage. "Didn't he once say to Maximus that he was the son he should have had?"

Now Commodus looked as though he had been stabbed viciously in the chest. His eyes swelled slightly. He turned away from Falco and breathed as deeply as his pain would allow.

"Go and make the arrangements. Tigris will do the empire a great service in killing him.", Commodus said softly.

"Of course, sire.", Falco said as he rose to leave. "Don't be so grieved at your father's memory, sire. He really didn't love you. There are much more important things to think about at the moment than the death of a hateful old man." Falco bowed to the emperor before leaving. Commodus remained facing away from him until he was sure the senator was gone. He stormed down the hallway and headed towards the same door that Ursa had used to get up into the rest of the palace. She gulped. She would have to be very careful in manuevering past him this time. She crept quietly down the hall and opened the door to the catacombs very softly. To her surprise, she was able to do it without the old hinges creaking very loudly. She made her way slowly down the dimly lit stairs. The light from the emperor's torch at the bottom of the staircase gave enough light for her to cautiously walk down them and not break anything in the process. She finally made it to the bottom and began to move swiftly towards the hidden door. As she reached the other side of the room, she heard the same weeping that had touched her heart the day before. She turned and watched.

"You had me, why didn't you love me?", the emperor cried as he held onto the bust desperately. It was as if the young man felt that his sorrowing would bring back the old man's voice long enough to derrive some words of comfort and apology from him. "All I ever wanted was your love and guidance. What was so terrible about giving them to me? What did you see in me that mother couldn't, that I can't?"

Ursa felt her heart twist in pity and sadness for this poor little boy sentenced to mourn within the body of a man. She walked over to him sliently as he slipped to the floor again. This time, she waited near him for what seemed like hours. He leaned back against the statue's base and began to fall asleep. Ursa moved to his side and gently laid his head in her lap as she knelt on the floor. He was too tired from the madness of the day to care who was there with him. Besides, they were warm and soft and too pleasant to question at the moment. He sighed as Ursa began to soothingly stroke his hair and forehead. She looked down at him in the dim lighting and frowned. It must have been terrible to have lost his mother at such a young age and have no one to take her place. From what Ursa had seen, Lucilla was no substitute by any means, no matter how much Commodus wanted her to be. Ursa felt truly blessed to have had Cicero by her side during her life. Even worse for the young man was the fact that he had known his mother and father before losing them. It was far less merciful in Ursa's opinion to be aware of what you were missing because you had enjoyed it once. While it was painfully obvious that Commodus did not enjoy having his father, he seemed to truly pine for his mother. He groaned a little and shifted slightly, but remained laying peacefully on the floor in front of her. She smiled. It was at times like these that Cicero sang a lullaby he himself had written for her. No matter her age, or what had troubled her, the words brought unexplainable comfort and peace to her. Perhaps they would do the same for this poor soul. She breathed deeply and began to sing softly.

"Sleep my baby, sleep. The stars about your cradle keep you.

Hush and close your eyes. The moon will sing your lullabies.

While the moon wakes the night,

Now begin your dreamland flight.

I'll always be near,

'Til the morning light is clear.

Sleep my baby, sleep. The stars about your cradle keep you.

Hush and close your eyes. The moon will sing your lullabies.", she sang softly.

She could feel a single tear roll from one of his eyes even as he slept. She continued to sit with him, comfortingly stroking his head and whispering to him every now and again until it was more than plain that he was sound asleep. She looked up at the grating. The sun was beginning to rise slowly. She moved slightly, removing the cloak she had kept around her that night. After shifting herself out from under him, she laid the cloak under him in a bundle and took off one of the sheets covering a large painting. She laid it over him as a blanket and looked back down at him once more. He seemed to be completely at peace at the moment. Looking at him like this, there was no way that he was a heartless monster. She sighed and felt the ache turn into resolve. She had a purpose now for the rest of the week. On the morning of the seventh day, she vowed to send her brother back to the group with irrefutable evidence that Commodus was both innocent and a capable ruler. She would also need to prove to Commodus that Maximus was innocent and prove to Maximus that Commodus was faultless. The thought of dear Maximus being alive again was so wonderful. She leaned forward and gave the young man a soft kiss on the cheek. Cicero had been most affectionate with his sister and had made it clear to her that showing someone you care about them was done most easily and effeciently with a tender kiss on the cheek. She stood and went to go back into her quarters before the sun rose.


	6. Alive Once More

Chapter 6: Alive Once More

Commodus awoke in the morning feeling a little sore from sleeping in a most akward position. He groaned and rolled over, trying to pull the covers around himself and adjusting to find a comfortable position in the bed. Luckily, it seemed a little dark still, so the day hadn't truly begun yet and he could still get in a good round of sparring with the new recruits. As he moved, his hand touched cold marble underneath him. He jumped and sat bolt upright. This wasn't the imperial bed chamber. His heart began to race in terror. Had he been kidnapped? He looked around nervously and then realized that he was in the catacombs and nothing more. He sighed and suddenly remembered coming down to confront the putrid bust of his father the night before. He laid his head back against the psuedo-pillow once more and groaned. He had been truly weary and fallen asleep on the cold, hard floor. His mind snapped back into a clearer state. He hadn't totally fallen asleep on the cold, hard, marble floor. His head, neck, and part of his shoulders had been cradled by something, or rather, someone. A soft, warm, and very sweet-smelling female. Her voice and touch were very familiar. It had to have been the girl from the day before. Lucilla had told him that he had been seeing a vision and Galen had told him that he had been dreaming.

When he had confided the incident with Falco, he suggested that it had been a spirit of comfort summoned by the sorrowing mind of the young ruler. He had never summoned a spirit before, and from what he understood, summoning one took a great deal of skill and concentration. You also needed to know who you were summoning by name or title. Who on earth could he have simply summoned by lamenting? He stopped. Before he had sunk to the floor last night he had mentioned his mother. In fact, over the past few days the guilt that he had felt for 'attacking' that poor girl had made him think frequently about his mother. Perhaps she had come back to watch over her son and offer him the comfort that had been denied him all these years since her death. He smiled at thinking about this being true. He sat up and stretched before standing. He stood and stretched again, noticing that it must have been past noon according to the light seeping through the grating above him.

He turned around and swept up the cloth that was used to cover the painting in the corner of the room. As he straightened it out to lay over the artwork once more, he got a good look at what he had been using as a pillow. His heart stopped. It was a cloak. It couldn't have been his mother, it was an intruder. A more than welcome intruder, but an intruder nonetheless. It must have been a young girl who truly felt pity for him. No, she had said the day before that she loved him. True she said it in the wording that meant the empire in general loved him, but he had a keen sense of understanding what women truly meant. He smiled even brighter. He had a secret lover. That is, they hadn't made love or professed open feelings toward one another, but she obviously desired him more than anything. She desired him enough to risk being arrested as an intruder and be put to death. She must have felt so passionately for him. He picked up the cloak and put it to his face. The cloth was very soft, but unlike anything he had come accross at the palace. It also had the simple, sweet smell of jasmine. It was wonderful. He imagined her skin once more. He had only felt it when she had so tenderly stroked his forehead and touched his arm in embracing him. He tried to picture her in his mind. A bright haired, blue eyed, slender young woman with a name like one of the muses. Thalia, perhaps, or Calliope. He imagined breathing one of the names as he lay beside her gazing into her eyes. He shook himself. He hadn't even met this girl, if it indeed was a girl. For all he knew, the intruder that had approached him twice could have been a very effiminate assassin. That seemed highly unlikely.

He walked up the stairs and slowly left the room. The guard nearby seemed to light up at seeing him. He rushed over to him and bowed low, saluting excitedly. Commodus yawned and stretched his arms a little more, feeling every snap and pop within him for sleeping on a hard surface. He would need to see one of the physicians or concubines to remedy this.

"Caesar, it is most wonderful to see you alive and well.", the guard exclaimed. "Lady Lucilla has been beside herself and so has master Lucius. The senate is in a ferment over your diappearance."

"Disappearance?", Commodus muttered groggily.

"Yes, sire. You weren't in your bed this morning. When you didn't show up with the recruits or for breakfast, your sister went to see about you and came out shouting that you had been abducted.", the guard said looking him over as if he were truly worried that the emperor had simply just been returned by a few cowardly captors. He smiled realizing that his ruler seemed quite unscathed. "Yet, here you are. We are most relieved, sire. I'm sure your sister will be absoloutely overwhelmed with joy to see you,"

"Yes, yes. I need to go on to my quarters. I feel a little ill. Send for Galen and my sister and have the kitchen send something for me.", he said as he wondered past the guard and into the rest of the palace. He headed towards his chambers slowly, lumbering along like an old elephant. He walked slowly into his room ignoring the rest of the guards and servants until he arrived happily at his bed and collapsed onto the soft mattress. He sighed and allowed a sound sleep to take him.

Ursa went into Lucilla's quarters still rubbing her eyes. She looked up at the jealous royal and tried to bow gracefully. Lucilla ignored her current state and walked over to her emotionlessly.

"Tell me, young girl, are you skilled in medicine?", she asked as she strode past the weary girl to the window. Ursa could barely keep her eyes open let alone understand what the woman was saying. She had been told that in cases where royals were prattling on and you couldn't understand them, the best thing to do was decide whethere to answer yes or no the first instance and then alternate afterwards. Ursa decided it best to agree at the moment since Lucilla almost always wanted agreement with her words. She nodded politely and then tried to breathe as deeply as possible to rouse her senses. Lucilla smiled. "Good. My brother has sent for one of the concubines to treat him for aches in his skeleton. I feel that while you're giving him the necessaries, you can also derrive a little information as well.", Lucilla explained. She turned and noticed Ursa beginning to nod off. She growled. "Girl!", she shouted. Ursa shook awake. "That's better. Go and report to my brother's quarters at once."

Ursa groaned and rubbed her eyes again. "Where does he sleep?", she asked softly. Lucilla sighed with irritation.

"One of the guards will lead you to the imperial bed chamber, now be quick about this! My brother hates to be kept waiting at all.", she exclaimed as she hurried the sleepy girl out of the doorway and into the hall. Ursa was too tired to even remember that she was to speak with Cicero that morning. The memory suddenly burst through into her present mind. She looked over at the guard that stood next to her ready to guide her.

"I need to get some tools from my quarters. I'll be only a moment.", she said before hurrying off. The guard had no time to object and also felt it best to allow the girl whatever she needed to please the emperor.

Ursa ran into the concubine's quarters and over to the far window, still clutching the scrolls with the information she had gathered the night before. She leaned out to him and almost toppled onto him. Cicero grabbed her shoulders and gently shoved her back onto the balcony. She steadied herself and smiled halfway at him. He frowned.

"What's wrong with you, wee one?", he asked quietly.

"Nothing, brother.", she yawned. "Here, these are the tidbits I gathered last night as the emperor met with senator Falco.", she said as she handed him the scrolls. Cicero accepted them, but didn't take his eyes off of his sister. "Oh! I have wonderful news, Cicero!"

He leaned in closer to her and waited. She hesitated. "What is it, little bear?", he urged. Ursa jumped at hearing his voice and then suddenly remembered what she was doing. She smiled excitedly.

"Maximus is alive.", she said with as bright a smile as she could manage. Cicero stared at her in shock. "The emperor blames him for..." Ursa trailed off as she noticed some guards getting too close for comfort and eyeing the palace walls. She leaned closer. "Read the scrolls and then come back to me tomorrow.", she whispered urgently. She leaned into his form and softly kissed his forehead. Cicero accepted it and then held onto her chin as he kissed her cheek and patted her head.

"Go and get some rest, baby sister.", he ordered playfully. Ursa laughed and watched him leave carefully. She turned and went back to the guard in the hallway. He nodded to her and led her into the emperor's bed chamber. It was magnificent. The high cielings and open walls were decorated with many carvings and artworks. Lanterns, lamps, and candles were in overabundance here. She wondered why on earth the emperor needed so much light. There were several plush couches and a large and lovely desk. In the corner near an enormous bed was a replica of the colosseum. She scoffed at it, thinking of how many innocent people had died there in a single day. She had been ordered to go and see to whatever the emperor asked. Ursa carried two more of the scrolls with her as well as the piece of charcoal. She had been mildly successful so far. The emperor was said to have been extremely tired and not in his right mind that afternoon. He was said to have slept outside or had been kidnapped momentarily. No one was sure which was true or even which was more likely. Ursa chuckled at the thought of this. She walked over to the bed where the young leader lay sleeping soundly. He lay halfway on the bed, still dressed, and yet fully unconscious. She laughed quietly and began to help him onto the bed the rest of the way. As she was removing his breastplate, she heard rustling in the curtains of the farthest window. Ursa looked over in the direction instantly and remained focused. She listened carefully as the sound repeated itself. She stayed looking directly at the curtains and window as she inched closer to them. She quietly took a dagger off of the end table as she approached the window and concealed it in her sleeve as she pulled back the curtain. A man grabbed her around the shoulders and dragged her to a hiding place within the folds of cloth. He held his hand firmly over her mouth. Ursa felt terriffied and began to fight. He held onto her tightly and leaned down to her ear.

"Let me go!", she tried to yell. The man's hand muffled her cries and nearly silenced her altogether. She looked up at the face of the intruder as best as she could. She gasped and then smiled. The man turned her around to face him once she had fully recognized him. "Cicero, what in God's name are you doing here?", she demanded in a whisper.

"I myself have news for you, little sister.", he whispered urgently. "Remember that although we wish to undo Commodus's evils, we need him alive until we can uncover just how far his evil spreads within the senate."

"Brother I think he is innocent. I've listened to both him and the others in the palace and aside from a rash temper he seems to be...", Ursa began. Cicero shook her and spoke worriedly.

"Listen to me!", he hissed. "Commodus is in danger. There are three legionaires who are going to try and kill him tonight. You must alert Quintus and the rest of the Praetorians."

She nodded. "I'll do that now.", she whispered in reply. "Thank you, Cicero. It's a good thing you were here."

"I was never here.", he said harshly and hurried away. Ursa watched him and sighed, yawning. She wanted nothing more than to go back to bed herself. She sighed and went back into the emperor's bed chamber to go out and alert Quintus then see to the sleeping youth. She went to the door of the chamber and told Quintus that she had overheard three legionaires talking amongst themselves who had planned to murder the emperor. Quintus followed by asking what their names, ranks, legions, or descriptions were. Ursa blushed and told him she didn't know, but that she had only heard the men talking. Quintus turned and shook his head in doubt of the young girl. Ursa thought quickly as to how to identify the would-be assassins. A light clicked on in her head. She told Quintus that they must have just been stationed as temporary watchmen between the emperor's quarters and the large window of the concubine's quarters. Quintus nodded and left to go and see to this himself. As the man turned to leave, another man approached the emperor's door. Ursa gasped. It was Falco. Falco stared at her blankly for a moment. He smiled and began to inch closer. He examined every inch of her that was readily available to him. She tried desperately to shut him out using her mind and spirit. He chuckled noticing the look of disdain on her face and her blushing. He moved very close to her.

"So, you must be the little virgin that Caesar wishes to bring into the harem. What is your name, little girl?", he asked smoothly. Ursa growled at him and turned to go back into the bedchamber without another word to him. He snarled and grabbed her arm. "Tell me your name, you little beast!"

Ursa turned and bit his hand harshly. He shouted out in pain and let go of her for a moment. Ursa turned and reached for the handle again. Falco grabbed her by the hair and turned her to him. Ursa shrieked and began to struggle with him. He shook her by the hair furiously until she remained a little more still in front of him. She began to cry softly. Her voice was too soft for the Praetorians to hear, but she desperately tried to call for someone in her mind. Falco raised a had to strike her.

Commodus was jarred awake by a shriek. He had been placed a little further into the bed and had been dressed down quite a bit. He rubbed his head and tried to gather his thoughts once more. He suddenly heard wailing outside his door. He gasped and raced to the door, flinging it open. He looked out to assess what was going on and gasped in horror, then anger. Ursa looked up at him in tears. Falco looked up at him and bowed his head a little.

"What is the meaning of this violence?!", Commodus demanded. Falco tried to think of something quickly and reached for the dagger he had felt momentarily in the girl's sleeve. He showed it to Commodus and smiled triumphantly.

"An attempted assassin, sire. I have discovered her before she had time to complete her wicked task!", Falco exclaimed shaking Ursa once more. He yanked down cruelly on her hair causing her to shriek in pain again. Commodus felt an ache within him at hearing her cries. "Please, sire. Allow me to be the one to humble her and then execute her as an example to all those who would dare act out against the empire!"

Commodus felt stunned. This girl couldn't be an assassin, could she? She was so innocent, so obedient. It was too far-fetched a thought to be true. He shook his head and looked down at Ursa. She cried bitterly and looked up at him with silent pleas for help. He groaned and looked back up at Falco. He called to guards to him. As the two approached, Commodus ordered Falco to release the girl. Falco stared at him in disbelief. "I gave you an order, senator.", Commodus repeated coldly. Falco obliged and threw Ursa away from him. Commodus turned to the guards. "Shackle her hand and foot, bring her back into my quarters."

"But sire,", Falco stammered. Commodus turned and looked at him hatefully. Commodus had a distinct loathing for anyone who brutalized women, even dangerous ones. Falco sighed and nodded. "Of course, Caesar. I forget that you have always been prone to acts of needless bravery."

Commodus had too much to ask the girl than to chastise the old man for his insult. He motioned for Falco to leave and then went slowly back into his chambers. The guards set Ursa down on the floor in front of a large chair that served as a smaller version of the throne for him. He nodded to the guards, signaling them to leave. The two bowed and left promptly. Commodus sighed and turned back to Ursa. She was shaking madly and in tears on the floor in front of him.

"Falco is accusing you of treason, young girl.", Commodus explained and held up the dagger he had taken from the old liar. "This is your weapon of choice, is it?"

"N-n-no, sire.", Ursa stammered. "I heard a n-n-noise and went to see who was slin-n-nking around your win-n-ndow." Commodus repressed laughter at her stammering on the letter 'n'. She looked up at him in sheer terror. "I n-n-never tried to hurt you!"

"Is that so? Then why have the dagger?", he asked sitting down. Ursa trembled harder. Did he really think that she was guilty. "Hurry up with an answer, young girl. Your life depends on it."

Ursa burst into tears. Commodus felt a searing pain rip through his chest at the sound of her wailing. He growled for a second and stormed over to her, ready to silence her with a firm blow to the head. He stopped himself when Quintus raced into the room.

"We've caught them, sire! All three of them!", he announced happily. He looked down at Ursa and then back at his emperor in confusion. "Is there something I should be doing?"

"Explaining yourself, Quintus. What do you mean you've caught them? Caught who and why?", Commodus demanded as he harshly grabbed Ursa by the chin and covered her mouth with the other hand.

"The legionaires who plotted against you this night, Caesar! They're all in custody and ready to be executed on the morrow.", Quintus said with a bow. He looked down at Ursa once more and then back up at Commodus. "I shall leave you and your concubine to your playing, sire. Before you continue ravaging her, though, you might thank her for uncovering the plot as she stood by the window of her quarters. She saved your life."

Commodus felt another wave of embarrassment and regret wash over him. Quintus noticed his emperor's face turning bright red except for the strange scar above his lip. Quintus bowed quickly and hurried out of the room. Commodus turned back to Ursa and let go of her. She cried a little more softly and turned away from him. He groaned and fished out the skeleton key for every lock in the palace. The key fit every manacle, door, and chest in the entire palace and was no bigger than a finger. He removed the shackles at her wrists and ankles and then forced her into his arms. He held her tightly, willing her shaking and lamenting to stop. After a moment, Ursa became a little more still and quiet. He loosened his grip on her and then looked down at her.

"You saved my life. You were at the window ready to dispatch those men yourself.", he realized in a whisper. She nodded softly. He shook his head. "And I am an ungrateful little toad. I am so sorry, little one. I suppose that even if the whole empire did love me, I wouldn't know how to behave and repay the gesture."

"Please don't let Falco have me!", she cried. He held her close to him again.

"You needn't worry. Falco is overzealous and greedy. He wishes lavish rewards for the small good he does. Still, the want to do even the smallest amount of good is rare in a senator.", Commodus said as he lifted both arms under her. Ursa remained as still as possible as he carried her to the nearest couch and laid her down on it. She was almost as calm as she had been earlier when Cicero had told her of the plot, now. Still on edge, but not frantic. He looked down at her. "Good people are hard to come by in the empire and are often hated."

"Perhaps that is why most of the senate is hateful of you, sire.", Ursa offered. Commodus tried to decide whether or not this was a compliment as he stared back at her. He might as well take it as a compliment in his mind since he rarely recieved a genuine one. "But the empire does care for you."

"Perhaps, but their concern is far more complacent than the hatred of the zealots.", he said. Ursa frowned. He laid her head back and took a mantle off of the bed to cover her. "Rest for a moment, that was quite an ordeal. I shall send for Galen to see to you again. You have absoloutely the worst luck with encounters in this room. You're worse off than I am and I have hordes of people that want me dead."

Ursa laughed a little as he went to the door and sent for Galen. He paced back and forth in front of the door, stopping every now and then to face her and inquire about how she was feeling. Ursa would tell him that she was frightened but otherwise alright. He would nod and continue. After a moment, he turned and stared at her deeply.

"Why were you in my quarters anyway?", he asked.

"You sent for a concubine to come and treat your aching back.", she explained.

"True, but as was brought before me painfully recently; you are not yet a concubine. You are a mere candidate.", he replied.

'Your sister felt you would enjoy my company again.", she explained. He scoffed and turned away. Ursa shifted and mustered a great deal of bravery. "I wanted to enjoy your company again." He stopped dead and turned. They two stared at one another balnkly for a moment. Commodus opened his mouth to speak, but Galen entered the room before he had the full opportunity. Galen gasped at seeing Ursa so shaken.

"What on earth? Will there ever be peace between you two?!", Galen exclaimed and led Ursa out of the room. Commodus remained silent and simply watched the girl leave. Was she sincere with him? Did she truly enjoy his company? He dismissed this thought. She had only seen him briefly for a few moments each of the four times he had seen her. It wasn't as if she had been as intimate with him as even that strange spirit in the catacombs had been. He sighed and layed back down on the bed. Too many strange things were going on. At least tomorrow he would be able to assuage some of his tension by watching Maximus die in the arena.


	7. Making A Mockery of the Empire

Chapter 7: Making a Mockery of the Empire

Cicero had been able to get to the arena to watch the battle between Maximus and Tigris. He smiled brightly as he noted the tension and fear on the emperor's face. Commodus seemed very intent on the battle ending quickly. He watched every move of the champions' blades sweeping and slicing, clashing together with harsh 'clangs' that rang in the ears of every patron. Commodus, who was usually very excited at these games and stood to cheer and get different views, sat very still and very quiet. Cicero felt himself feeling a little sorry for the spoiled young Caesar. That morning, Ursa had related what had happened between herself, Falco, and the emperor the night before. If Cicero hadn't warned her about the three men that were out for Commodus's blood, then she would have been accused of highest treason and probably slain there in his quarters. Cicero had felt true rage rumble through him at hearing she was forced into chains in front of him. He knew how frightened Ursa became in tight situations and being bound would not have helped. Ursa assured him that he only did so out of protocol and was very gentle with her following releasing her. Cicero had looked deeply into her eyes. His sister may not have been falling conveniently in love with the emperor, but she was definitely feeling a form of love for him. He had to get her away from here as quickly as possible.

So, Falco was behind the machinations of the imperial wickedry. That would have to be noted from now on. Cicero pushed the conversation he had made with Ursa that morning out of his mind and tried to concentrate on the games and watching how Maximus was fairing. At the end, Maximus was able to wound Tigris significantly. Commodus rose and ceremoniously held out his hand, pointing his thumb downward. The crowd cheered madly at the thought of the fallen hero being mercilessly dispatched for their entertainment. Cicero frowned. The mob was truly a blood-thirsty beast with a bottomless stomach. Maximus simply looked up at the emperor defiantly and threw down his sword. Cicero felt an enormous swelling of pride for his master and left the colosseum to wait for the champion to exit. Any conversation he had with him would have to be brief, but he did have a small gift for him. A small, leather pouch containing precious idols that Maximus used to remind himself of his family were inside. Cicero had managed to salvage them after the campaign in Germania.

He waited outside the colosseum for Maximus to be led back to the gladitorial school. He called to the former commander excitedly and gave him the gift and the information that his men were in Ostia and ready to follow him again. Maximus told Cicero to inform the men loyal to Marcus that their general lives and makes ready to bring justice to the slain leader's memory. Cicero smiled and watched as Maximus left. He would need to speak with him at length in the morning. He could do so after conversing with his sister. He laughed silently at the thought of how furious Commodus would be with the fact that his plan to end Maximus blew up in his face. The laughter stopped. What if he decided to soothe that fury with one of his women? What if he called for Ursa again? That duplicitous little worm! How dare he after the promise he made! Cicero hurried off towards the palace. He could at least stand at the window for the good part of the night until both Ursa and the emperor were sound asleep.

Ursa had been given the task of carrying a few scrolls from the senate to the office at the other end of the palace. Tertullian, the emperor's personal scribe, used this office on a regular basis. While Ursa wasn't a servant or a messenger, Lucilla had told the imperial task-master to use her for small tasks when he needed her since she had nothing better to do at the moment. Ursa didn't mind this at all. She would be walking past the area that Falco and Commodus usually used to vent frustrations and plot. She walked past hurriedly when she heard raised voices behind her. The guards were shouting at one of the servants to leave the area at the emperor's request. Luckily, no one had seen her. She stepped behind a column as the guards escorted the servants out and left the hallway and veranda empty. A moment later, the doors burst open. In walked the emperor, fuming, accompanied by Falco, beaming. Falco almost always seemed pleased to see Commodus upsetted by something. Ursa wondered if the young ruler had noticed this, or if he was simply content to have someone listening to him and slightly sympathizing with him. Commodus began ranting about the audacity of Maximus to defy his order to send Tigris into the afterlife. He paced back and forth like an angry tiger. He turned back to Falco and shook his head as he continued to pace.

"So now they love Maximus for his _mercy_. That means I can't kill him lest I appear all the more unmerciful!", Commodus raved. Tears dripped from his angry eyes every now and then. He sniffed and breathed heavily. "The whole day has been one damnable nightmare!"

"You cannot allow this to continue, sire. His defiance is not simply in his actions, it is in the fact he still lives. Kill him.", Falco urged. Commodus growled and looked directly into Falco's face.

"No! I refuse to give my father's murderer the status of martyr for a fickled mob!", he shouted. "I have been informed that there is a growing group of rebels who want me dead! Have you heard of it?"

"Of course, Caesar. The whole senate speaks of it with great amusement.", Falco said. Commodus backhanded one of the nearby potted plants. The innocent ficus tumbled to the ground, spilling out the dirt in its base. Commodus snarled at it and kicked at some of the dirt. "The best thing to do would be to silence all voices against you sire. Whether they speak in the city, in the senate, in the arena, or in the palace."

Commodus turned to him in fear. "They have infiltrated the palace?", he said trembling slightly.

"There are alway lecherous servants and so on, highness. The proper thing to do is keep up your guard and weed them out. Give me an edict to destroy all those who will not bow to you as the one authority on earth, as the son of Jupiter himself!", Falco offered. Commodus stared at him. Did the old senator truly see him as that powerful and important? Perhaps Falco was jsut as misunderstood as he was, perhaps he only wanted what was best for the greater good. Notions that looked after the bigger picture were rarely understood by others. He sighed. "I would be honoured to carry out such an edict sire."

"But we already keep close watch on so many. The mathemeticians are dwindling, the scholars hide in fear, the scribes have started refusing to document what I ask, and the Christians have either gone into hiding or left the capital entirely.", Commodus said. "If we start killing too many people right and left then we will lose the whole empire."

"No, Caesar, only the traitors. Think about this sire; if you have a herd of goats and you punish a few of them for insubordination quite severely, then the others will learn to obey your voice and be docile. Do you see?", Falco added. Commodus thought about this for a moment and then nodded.

"I will confer with Tertullian about writing the edict within a week. Then you will see to its fruition personally.", Commodus said with a sigh.

Falco smiled brightly. With this edict passed, the rebels would show themselves and probably step up any plans to assassinate the little fool. He was far too easily swayed to be in power. Gracchus had told him repeatedly that he needed a wife to speak at lengths with on harsh nights. Gracchus was a firm believer that no man or woman should have power alone. If the gods created them as one being so long ago, then they would always be lacking in thought and feeling until finding their other half. Commodus groaned at the thought of a lecture on propriety and kindness from Gracchus when this edict was passed. Then again, if it was passed and became effectual, then Gracchus might just learn to shut his gob when it was prudent. He smiled at the thought of Gracchus standing silent before him in the senate.

"Very good, sire. You are proving most cunning even for your youth.", Falco said as he bowed and left. Commodus watched. He felt conflicted more than ever. He needed comfort, he needed assurance, but he would not recieve either from Falco or Lucilla at the moment. He thought for a moment. The catacombs always offered comfort. Perhaps he could summon the young girl once more. He smiled and headed towards the door of the passageway down into the oldest part of the palace. Ursa watched this. Was he really going to do something so cruel and harsh to the citizens of Rome? Her heart ached at the thought of what she herself would lose. She followed him, trembling with desperation and anxiety. She walked down into the underbelly of the palace and carefully descended the stairs. The torch he had used to light his path had once again, been set to the floor and stayed bright enough for her to make her way to a statue near him and remain hidden. He stood in front of the bust of his father. He drew in a deep breath and exhaled slowly.

"I don't know who you are, or if you're still here, muse of comfort, but I need you more than ever. My heart is lamenting and my mind is weary from the ideas and disappointments laid before me today. Falco has offered a solution, what do I do?", he whispered. Ursa knew that if she couldn't sway him to favour her now, then he would begin a reign of terror that would live on for a thousand years. She cleared her throat and stepped up bside him, remainin a few feet away. He turned to the other side, then around for a moment at hearing something move near him. Ursa reached out and put a hand on his shoulder. He gasped and reached for the torch. Ursa kicked it away. She couldn't allow him to see that she was the unusual candidate that had saved his life the night before. There was, after all, still questions after that incident as to where her loyalties truly were. There were always questions about the loyalty of a bodyguard unless they had actually died in the emperor's place. He gasped and froze. Darkness truly terriffied him. The thought that it was not the spirit of comfort, but a sympathizer for the failed assassins, took hold of him. He closed his eyes and coughed a little. "Do what you are planning, and do it quickly. I will not tolerate suspense."

Ursa frowned a little. He must have been very afraid. She stepped closer to him and embraced him as she stood in front of him. He jumped at first, but then recogized the scent of the girl, the feel of her hands. He relaxed and pulled her to him tightly. She smiled.

"Is the suspense removed then, highness?, she whispered.

"Who are you? What are you?", he said as he held her closer and breathed in the companionship he so craved.

Ursa thought long and hard about this for a moment. She smiled brightly and leaned up to his ear. "I was once another name, I have changed it for my stay in the palace.", she whispered. He froze. He hadn't heard of anyone coming to visit recently. Who was this girl, and why on earth had she changed her name.

"What is your purpose here?", he asked as he moved away from her a little. She continued to hold onto his arms softly.

"The Hebrews keep a collection of stories that will explain everything, sire.", she whispered. "Ask them for the story of Haddasseh.", she replied. If he was preoccupied with solving a mystery, then she would have plenty of time to tell Cicero that he could be swayed by the right person. They simply needed to figure out how to get another senator to be as close to the young man as Falco was, and to undo Falco himself. She reached up and placed a soft kiss on his jaw. He moved to try and kiss her more fully, feeling overcome with many emotions. Ursa pulled away and kicked the torch away a little more before racing over to the secret door. She opened it silently and slipped away in a blink. Commodus mustered every ounce of bravery within himself and grabbed the torch after reaching into the unkown for it. He caught his breath as he began to furiously search the room. There was no sign of anyone being there with him. The catacombs had enough light from the grating to see the basics of the room without a torch, but his fear of the darkness had hindered him from getting familiar with the secrets the room kept for only the strong of heart and mind. He sighed and went back upstairs. He began to walk to his quarters as Tertullian approached him. He jumped instinctively, then steadied himself. Tertullian bowed.

"The senate sent me four documents that I think you should take a look at, sire.", Tertullian said. Commodus nodded to the old scribe. Tertullian turned to go back to his office without another word. Commodus felt a light spring to life in his mind.

"Tertullian?", he called. The scribe turned around and bowed to the young man. Commodus thought about the question for a moment and how best to ask it. He looked inquisitively at the old man. "Do you have any of the stories of the Hebrews?"

Tertullian smiled. It was always wonderful to see a youth passionate about the study of a new subject. Perhaps Commodus would do what his father would not, study the peoples themselves and not force his drek theories about philosophy on the rest of the general populous. Commodus was thinking of neither his father, his people, or philosophy at the moment. He was thinking about how beautiful the kiss she had given was.


	8. The Origin of the Mark

Chapter 8: The Origin of The Mark

Cicero decided to speak with Maximus before he spoke with Ursa the next morning. She had only two nights left in that horrible place. He begged the gods to keep her safe and away from the emperor until then. He approached the gate of the gladitorial training yards. Maximus noticed him and walked towards him, smiling brightly.

"Cicero, my very dear friend. I thought I should never see you again.", Maximus whispered as he grabbed Cicero's arm at the elbow.

"We thought you were dead.", Cicero replied quietly.

"Who is we? You and Ursa?", Maximus asked.

"Not only her and myself, there is an insurrection. We are small, but we are cunning. We even have connections with Lady Lucilla on occassion.", Cicero explained. "We seek to undo the evil that will be Commodus at full power."

"He has more than deserved power right now. I will undo his evil.", Maximus hissed. Cicero smiled. He had all but ignored the documents Ursa had given him detailing the innocence of the young emperor. Those facts weren't important to their cause. They needed names, numbers, times, places, and plans of action; not input about his involvement in past exploits. Cicero had left those documents in the corner of his small room at home. It seemed so empty now without Ursa beside him every night. "How long have my men been camped in Ostia?"

"All winter sir."

"And how are they now?"

"Fattened and bored. Ready to raise arms again in the name of a great commander.", Cicero whispered in excitement.

"Can they be ready to raise those arms soon?"

"After you were proven alive in the arena? They would fight tomorrow!"

Maximus nodded. "That won't be necessary, but I will need help in getting out and remedying the problem with the throne.", Maximus said. "I need for you to go and tell Lady Lucilla that I will meet with the senator that advises her."

"I will tell her. I am on my way to the palace now."

"What for? Do you keep watch over the inner activities for the rebels?"

Cicero frowned a little. "Actually that is Ursa's job as of late. Lucilla suggested that we send her in as one of the many concubines. I hadn't realized what would be involved for my poor sister. She is there now."

"Has he raped her?", Maximus whispered urgently.

"Not yet. He has promised to release her to me in two days. I'm taking her with me today if I can convince her to come.", Cicero replied. Maximus smiled and shook his head.

"And to think that she saved the little guttersnipe's life when he was a boy.", Maximus laughed. Cicero thought for a moment and then laughed as well. "Have you ever told her that it was he who she rescued?"

"No. And I don't think she even remembers it. It was so long ago.", Cicero said softly.

"Yes, but his scar is still there."

"Aye, but that's little concern to her while she's fighting to keep her innocence."

"This must be so hard for you, my friend.", Maximus said sympathetically. "I love Ursa as well. As soon as I am free, I will end his life and set her free."

"She will be free tonight!", Cicero exclaimed in a whisper. Maximus looked at him, urging him to be more quiet. Cicero shook his head. "I will go and inform Lucilla. Until then, be safe."

"You as well. Pass those sentiments on to Ursa.", Maximus said. As Cicero went to leave, Maximus grabbed his shoulder. "And tell her to split his face open the rest of the way if she can!" The two men laughed as Cicero left hurriedly. He darted past soldiers, artists, street performers, and peddlers to get near the palace gates. As he walked, the memory of what had happened to the emperor so many years ago came to mind.

Cicero had been a very young servant to Marcus Aurelius at the time. He had been sent to Lanuvium to serve his wife, Faustina as she tried to care for her sickly surviving son. Commodus had been the unfortunate survivor of a proceedure performed on himself and his twin brother. A mere months before that, Faustina's younger son had died from a plage only months after his birth. Of the thirteen sons Faustina had birthed, the twins had lived the longest and so far little Commodus was the only survivor. Cicero was eighteen years old. He hoped that the poor young prince continued to survive for his mother's sake. Cicero had been allowed to take Ursa with him. She was two years younger than the invalid son of Marcus. Commodus had begun lessons in government at this age as did all citizens that could afford education. Six was an important age for boys since their minds were believed to have nearly left childhood at this point. Ursa was too young to be forced into servitude. Besides this, Faustina and the other nobles adored the pretty little girl. She had a sweet voice and enormous eyes that made her irresistable to anyone with half a heart.

Commodus was usually kept in his quarters where he was safe. Galen stated that too much of the outdoor air and sun could damage the frail little boy beyond compare. On cloudy days where it was not too chilly or wet, the lad was allowed outside to play for a little while. Commodus truly enjoyed these rare days. He would romp endlessly through the fields and gardens pretending to be all manner of things. One minute, he was a soldier; the next, he was a tiger; then, he would become an elephant; after that, he was always a wild dog. One afternoon, Ursa had been allowed outside at the same time as the young prince. Cicero let his sister out of the exit to the kitchen with the warning to be careful and to be nice to any of the other inhabitants that were out enjoying the day. Ursa laughed and hurried past her brother. Commodus had been escorted to the front door by a groomsmen and led out into the gardens. Within a moment, he was out of sight for the poor, confused servant. For a sick child, he could run like a gazelle and disappear like a mouse. Commodus raced out onto the open fields surrounding the villa. He began to spin endlessly in circles, laughing until he collapsed and looked happily up at the sky. He closed his eyes and tried to let the dizziness cease. After a moment, he heard a low growl behind him.

He jumped and looked around. Standing a few feet away, hidden by a tall patch of goat weed, was an enormous wild dog. Commodus felt everything go cold. He had never been exposed to such fear before. He stood up slowly, noticing almost all the strength in his limbs had left him. The dog began to advance cautiously. It could smell the definite weakness in its prey. Commodus tried to shout for one of the servants or guards, but his voice seemed to be as weak as his legs. His body refused to respond to the command his mind gave to run for his life. The dog snarled and leapt forward. Commodus screamed as the dog landed ontop of him, clawing and biting at its living meal veraciously. He tried desperately to grab hold of the beast by the throat and hold it away from him. The dog nipped down, catching the screaming child's upper lip in its teeth and reding it in half. Blood coursed from every wound the dog had inflicted, numerous scratches and bites that were deeper than the angry growl of the animal itself. He felt terror like nothing else on earth and came to the realization that he was going to die. He knew what death was after awakening one morning without his brothers. He would soon join them in a most painful way.

The dog went for the kill, biting towards the boy's throat. As its teeth were but a few inches away, the dog suddenly winced and yipped in pain. A rock had hit the side of its head harshly. It ignored the pain after a second, but then another rock hit the side of its head at the ear, causing it to reel and howl. A third rock embedded itself in the animal's eye and sent it scurrying away from the prince, crying in agony and trying to adjust to the one working eye it now had to work with. As Commodus realized that the dog was gone, he felt a pair of hands taking him by the shoulders. He couldn't move from the pain and the fear, but he wanted desperately to hug this person that had obviously saved him. All he wanted was to be held, for the pain to cease. He wailed loudly as the person dragged him back to the villa. He began to hear shouts of worry and fear.

"He's hurt! Fetch Galen!", someone shouted.

"Gods on high! Look at all that blood, help get him inside!", someone else shouted. Commodus began to wonder within himself why the person that had rescued him wasn't carrying him inside. Come to think of it, why hadn't they carried him back in the first place? That question was short lived among the anguish that raged in him in every possible region on his tiny form. The last voice he heard was that of a very young man as two people picked him up.

"Ursa! What happened? Are you hurt?", the man had yelled. Commodus wasn't sure who the young man had been speaking to or why, but he hoped that whoever it was wasn't hurt as badly as he was. The ability to think shrank into nothing and he fell unconscious. Still standing at the steps of the villa, Cicero held on tightly to his baby sister. Ursa cried softly and held onto his neck. "You saved him, didn't you? That was so brave, little bear."

Ursa gave no answer, but continued to hold onto her brother as much as possible. She had explained what had happened to Galen later that afternoon. Unfortunately, the small praise she had recieved from both her brother and Galen was short lived. Faustina died within a few days of the incident. The siblings knew that the prince would never be the same again. Everyone was to head back to the capital since the emperor had sent for his son to come back and live with him. Ursa still missed the open landscapes. Cicero missed the freedoms. Commodus missed his mother.


	9. Love Revealed

Chapter 9: Love Revealed

Commodus had spent all night awake in Tertullian's office. The library behind him held many important documents from the months passed that hadn't yet been processed into the greater library. Many of them were still left from his father's reign. Commodus had thought several times about going through some of these to find out whether some of the documents had the secretive actions of the senators that were making trouble among the people. There were laws being passed and actions being carried out without his consent. He had spent several months undoing the horrors that several higher-ups had forced onto the public. Some of them had been proven to have been edicts that senators had sent to the Praetorians without his seal. Those senators had been fined a great deal for their wrongs, but Commodus wandered how on earth he could properly punish the men to insight fear in them without making them so angry that they would want him dead. Lately, though, he had wondered if the senate already wanted him dead. He had spent the night and some of the morning going over the Hebrew texts about Haddasseh. She had been a mere peasant that had been initiated into the court of King Ahazerous of Persia as a concubine. Since Commodus was feeling fidgety and excited, he had been unable to sit through the first part of it reading intently. The last few passages that detailed the young girl becomming queen, her helping to undo an evil edict from the king's wicked advisor, then the emminent demise of the advisor and the happy marraige of the king and Haddasseh. Haddasseh had changed her name to the Persian name Esther since Hebrews weren't welcomed in the court.

He found this story very moving and truly exciting. He went over the ideas presented in the story over and over again. Then he went over the thought of this mystery girl being as close to him as Esther was to Ahazerous. The thought was wonderful! He could go to sleep in those soft, warm arms and then wake every morning to her sweet voice and tender kiss. That would be true ecstasy! He sat back in the chair and allowed his mind to wonder with the idea for a little while. Tertullian suddenly stirred. He had stayed in the office with his emperor to make sure that no one made another attempt on his life. The old man yawned and stretched. He looked over at the young ruler, slightly reclined at the edge of the room. He smiled as he noticed that the emperor's eyes were filled with distant longing and starry wondering. Commodus was in love, or at least he felt that he was. Tertullian sighed and walked over to the young man with a bow.

"Did you find everything you needed, sire?", he asked. Commodus jumped. Tertullian moved backwards and stared at the youth in disbelief. Commodus cleared his throat and composed himself as he stood.

"Tertullian, do you believe in love at first sight?", Commodus asked quietly.

Tertullian shook his head with a smile. He could remember having the same conversation with his own son. It was a sure sign that the young man was infatuated with someone.

"I believe that one can experience some kind of love with just seeing someone very attractive to both the eyes and the spirit.", Tertullian explained.

"What about falling in love with someone you haven't seen, only felt and heard?", Commodus asked intently.

Tertullian held back laughter at the simple, human innocence that Commodus was displaying. "Well, sire, a dream can definitely produce feelings of eros."

"It wasn't a dream, Tertullian. This girl, I've been having encounters with her in the catacombs.", he explained. Tertullian looked at the emperor inquisitively. He sighed and sat down once more. "I go down there to gather my thoughts and she just comes to me and embraces me. She has whispered kindly to me, sung to me, held me softly, and recently given me the most tender kiss in exsistance."

Tertullian placed his hand on the amorous emperor. He looked into the youth's eyes with admiration. "I'd say it's time you discover who this girl is and if your feelings are genuine, sire. When love enters the life of a man, it is a terrible thing not to act on it."

Commodus smiled brightly, then frowned a little. "Haddasseh was a concubine. The senators and nobles have given me at least 300 concubines. It would take me an eternity to give a night to each of them to interview them.", he said sadly. "I want to be with this girl now."

"Understandable, sire. You truly desire her, even I can see that. I have a suggestion.", Tertullian offered. "Call each of the concubines before you one at a time. Command each of them to say a phrase that you remember this girl saying, to take your hand like the embrace that you felt from her, and to kiss it as softly as the girl did yesterday."

"And that will work?", Commodus asked excitedly.

"Well, unless you feel the need to ask them to sing to you.", Tertullian added. Commodus smiled and grabbed Tertullian's hand.

"This is wonderful! I won't be alone anymore, ever!", he shouted happily. "Start writing the proclammation, now!"

Tertullian chuckled and sat down to begin writing the order for the women of the court. The emperor would soon be experiencing the same happiness that men had felt for centuries, the pleasure of a wife. Not to mention it would get the senate off of his back for a little while. Commodus stopped pacing and looked up at the window as the sun rose. He cursed the passage of time.

"Damnation! It's already daybreak!", he exclaimed.

"Of course it is, sire. Let's continue so that this will be done before the afternoon.", Tertullian replied.

"That's just it, I have to meet with the senate in a three hours. There has been a meeting called to discuss the state of the empire since the celebrations began.", Commodus said in disgust. "I'm tired of the ludicris driveling I've been enduring since I was fourteen. There's no excuse for the behaviour of those hateful old buzzards."

"I can finish the order, Caesar. I already know what you wish to be done for the time being. I will send it to the senate while one of them is clucking away and you can send the messenger back with any changes you feel should be made."

Commodus sighed and walked over to the door, peeking out into the hallway. The palace was already coming to life in the main hallways with several scribes, servants, and courtiers. He groaned and turned back to his personal scribe who was still smiling with amusement.

"Very well. Send it with a messenger when you're done. I can't wait too long for this. She is magnificent.", Commodus said sighing again. Tertullian looked up from the parchment in confusion.

"Sire, forgive me, but how is it that if it is one of your concubines that you cannot tell from past experience which one it is?", Tertullian asked. Commodus turned a deep shade of red and looked away from the old man. Tertullain smiled even brighter. The emperor hadn't slept regularly with his women at all. He had been introduced to the heat of a woman's heat at the same age that he had been given any political power. It was a well-known fact that a young boy could not mature properly after going through adolescence without lying with a woman. Commodus had certainly been no exception and he had been rumoured to have courted three young girls at different times before his father's death. None of them had taken to him since he would one day bear a great burden for the empire. The woman who would be taken as his wife would need to be able to comfort him after great losses and soothe him from becoming violent towards the other nobles. She would also need to be versed enough to give him advice when he asked it. Few girls at the ages of twelve and thirteen were willing to take on that responsibility and their parents weren't keen on losing their young daughters to an assassin at such an early age. Yes, the emperor had recieved physical fulfilment several times in his life, but was not the typical promiscuous ruler that marked the blood lines of the Caesars before him.

"It isn't as if I have the presence of mind to memorize the women's features and so on when they come to my bed. I am ravenous and often leave them asleep in the side bedchamber before retiring to my own.", he said proudly. Tertullian shook his head and looked down at the parchment once more. He decided to ignore the shameless bragging and get back to work.

Ursa met Cicero at the window once more. Cicero looked up at her excitedly.

"Come on, little bear. The guards are chasing a horde of piglets that I just set loose in the courtyard! We can leave right now!", he urged.

"Cicero! I still haven't retrieved the information we need.", Ursa corrected. "I can't leave yet, I think I have found favour with the emperor."

"Why should that matter?", Cicero complained.

Ursa smiled and her eyes sparkled with adoration. "He needs a companion that makes him feel safe. I can prove anything to the cause with his signet and words if I can get closer to him.", Ursa explained. "He needs me."

"Ursa! Do not fall in love with him! He's killed hundreds of innocent people and is the son of the reason that mother and father were forced out of our home in the first place!", Cicero whispered urgently. "He's raised taxes, ordered violent arrests and executions, and neglected the people since he came to the throne!"

"He's only been on the throne for six months! I truly think that the cause can sway him to do good for the empire!", Ursa exclaimed quietly. Cicero groaned and rolled his eyes. "Brother, please let me do this. He has refused to touch me. I know that I can find out who is truly behind the travesties in the capital and the rest of the empire. I suspect that it is mostly the workings of Falco. He wants the emperor to pass a law that will execute any citizen that refuses to bow to him and proclaim him the son of Jupiter! Falco wants many more people to die and he wants Commodus to appear unreasonable."

"Then the emperor needs to grow up and learn which advice to follow and which to ignore.", Cicero argued. "You aren't going to help him do that. You're still just a little girl, Ursa. You can't do such great tasks for Rome."

Ursa stared at him, hurt. She stepped backwards. "You really don't think I'm good enough for anything important, do you?", she said quivering with sadness and anger.

"Ursa, I think the world of you. But there's only so much you're capable of. After all, you're only a girl and a very young girl at that.",Cicero explained. "I shouldn't have sent you to the palace in the first place."

"You sent me here because you thought that the only thing I'm good for is to distract a man's physical attention!", Ursa said loudly. Cicero tried to speak up and defend himself. "You didn't even think I could win the emperor's favour following Gracchus into the court! You see me as an infant! An infant with a body you can use!"

"No, little bear! Not at all! I just want to protect you, Ursa!", he exclaimed trying to climb up to her. Ursa pushed him back by his shoulders.

"Go away! I am going to complete this task and make myself important to someone! Even if that means giving myself over to him!", Ursa shouted.

"Ursa, no! You've worked so hard to keep yourself for your husband and stay true to our cause! Please come home! I miss you so much!", he cried. "You're confused, little one! Just climb out now and we'll go!"

Ursa forced him backwards not only away from the window, but caused him to fall uncermoniously onto the ground. Two guards saw this and raced over to him. The two siezed him by his arms and wrestled his arms behind his back, tying them together. He growled and began to struggle furiously.

"He doesn't love you, Ursa! You don't even know him! You can't stay here!", Cicero yelled up to the window. One of the guards struck him harshly on the head. Cicero groaned and reeled for a moment, but remained conscious. "Ursa.", he muttered as they dragged him away.

Just after the royal house had finished breakfast, Quintus approached Commodus and informed him that there had been a young man caught assaulting the window of the concubines' quarters. He groaned. He had an inkling as to who the young man was. He told Quintus to hold the man in the throne room and that he would be there in a moment to deal with him. Quintus nodded and left quickly. Cicero was dropped in front of the throne to wait for the emperor. His hands were bound and his head was bleeding terribly from the wound the guards had inflicted. Commodus walked into the room and felt a horrible sickness wash over him. He hated confronting anyone with excusable righteous indignation. Cicero was terriblt angry at the legal abduction of his sister. If the young manservant wanted someone to blame for this ordeal, why didn't he attack Gracchus? The old senator had been the one to bring the beautiful girl to the palace in the first place. Commodus stopped for a moment and thought about the girl's eyes. She was wonderful to behold, but he hadn't had the opportunity to speak with her at lengths. He had decided against it since the girl had been raised among servants and soldiers that probably didn't speak favourably about the royal family. Not to mention, she was obviously very innocent and therefore too flighty to make a suitable companion at all. He walked over to Cicero and bent down, cutting the bonds at his wrists effortlessly with his ornate dagger. Cicero rubbed his wrists and held onto his head. Commodus noticed the large wound on the man's head. He winced at the blood streaming from it. He nodded to one of the guards who moved forward and bowed.

"Go and fetch Galen.", the emperor commanded. Cicero groaned and sat backwards a little.

"He's been hurt. Go and fetch Galen.", he muttered. The memory he had recalled earlier was miximng with the pain and confusion in his mind. Commodus knelt and lifted Cicero to standing. He moved the young man over to one of the chairs at the side of the room and sat him down. "You can't stay here."

"I disagree, Cicero. What on earth do you think you were doing?", Commodus exclaimed. "I told you where it was appropriate for you to stand and watch for your sister. I promised that she would be released in one week. I promised not to touch her. I have kept all but releasing her seeing as it hasn't been one week."

"I miss you so much.", Cicero whispered softly. Commodus sighed heavily and looked up at the sky.

"I have to go to the senate. Treat his wound and send him on his way.", Commodus instructed. He turned back to Cicero. "Do not go back to the window again, Cicero. I do not want to see you flogged or worse."

"He doesn't love you.", Cicero moaned and then leaned to one side. Commodus shook his head and walked away. He looked forward to being done with this girl and in fact concubines in general. It was much less confusion to have one woman to please him from all angles for the rest of his life. The rest of his life; it would come soon enough and he was not going to spend it alone.


	10. The Act of Aquarius

Chapter 10: The Act of Aquarius

"To order!", Gracchus called as everyone in the senate settled into their respective positions. Commodus was seated on the small chair that acted as a mock-throne in the senate room. It should have been a place of honour and authority, but it had become to Commodus a place to be metaphorically bound and systematically tortured. Having to sit politely and endure ridicule was inhumane. People felt it was inexcusable for the emperor to have a little bit of a temper, but they had never spent an afternoon forced to listen to these harpies. True, Commodus had more of a temper than one would have expected from an irritated aristocrat, but he dealt daily with the ridicule from the senate, family, other nobles, and certain citizens. Luckily, the few peasants that came to speak with him for business purposes or with a personal request, seemed to feel that he was doing a marvelous job especially in comparison to his war-hungry father. The Praetorians also felt more connected to this young despot since he had no qualms about training with them and requiring no special treatment when doing so. It was as if Commodus had been born to be a man of the people and not to live as a fairly intelligent monkey that performed for a group of snarling, clawing, wanton old men.

While Gracchus called the senate to order and began the usual recant of what was wrong with the city as of late and what was also wrong with the outer provinces and how much of it was Commodus's fault and why. At first, Commodus ignored the well-meaning senator's rantings, but the day began to drag on past the usual time for the senate meetings. The cieling above the emperor's seat was open to the sky to allow fresh air, but it was now allowing in an unnatural amount of sunlight and heat. Commodus was, of course, dressed in full royal garb and a small suit of armour. The layers of silk and cotton that made his clothing were heavy and thick enough, but then added to that the layer of leathermail and metal edging were becomming more than he could bare. The crown that usually simply sat on top of his head effortlessly was now digging into his scalp unmercifully and he could feel himself practically dripping with sweat and exhaustion. He had decided to try and be as patient as possible and sit without speaking, waiting for Tertullian's messenger. The tolerance that he had against the heat had been spent before he had been given the opportunity to demand a recess and go back into the palace to at least sit in its shade and get a drink. This was monstrous!

He stared hatefully at the senators in their simple robes. How smug they looked sitting there in the nude by comparison to the emperor. Prancing around and carrying on, able to get up and walk to escape this horrible heat! Why did the sun have to be so bright, anyway? It was as if Apollo was punishing him for some unkown sin. He felt his head beginning to spin and stomach begin to turn angrily. Lucilla sat a few feet away, but interpreted the symptoms of her brother's expression to be him being bored with the fundamental responsibilities of government as usual. She straightened herself and turned to ignore his feigned laboured breathing and closing his eyes. Commodus breathed heavily and tried to call on his physical strength to create a greater endurance to this torment.

Ursa was called into Tertullian's office by the imperial task-master. She had been used for the past day and a half to deliver documents and messages that were beyond what the normal pages took to and from the senate. It saved the empire from having to hire more hands to help and therefore have more mouths to feed. It also gave the task-master an idea. If the emperor had so many concubines and didn't use them regularly, then the ones that were simply staying in the palace as slaves could be put to work with simple tasks. He would need to bring this before the emperor. Ursa walked into the office and bowed to the old scribe, who sat behind the desk writing furiously. He looked up for a moment and then motioned for her to come closer. As she stepped closer to the desk, he looked up again. He stared at her. Partially it was in confusion as to why a young girl was sent to play as messenger, the other was in how darling and lovely this girl was. She belonged among the emperor's women, not delivering messages. He smiled slightly at the young girl and nodded as she approached. Perhaps he could make life a little more easy and meaningful for her by suggesting that the emperor take her to him. She would at least be pleasing to the eyes.

"You sent for a messenger?", Ursa said softly. He smiled brighter. Her voice was wonderful as well.

"I need for this edict to be brought to Caesar while he is at the senate. He will look over it for a moment and then either give his approval or tell you to bring it back to hold for me to ammend it.", Tertullain instructed as he handed her a scroll bound in a silk tie. She looked at it and then nodded to him. "It will be odd for a messenger to appear in the senate like this, but the meeting is taking longer than anyone expected. More odd will be the fact that you are female, so pay no mind to any strange looks or words from the men in the senate. I doubt very much that the emperor will be displeased with a female being a messenger for this, but be prepared if he is a little irate from the events of this afternoon in the senate. Do you understand?"

"Yes sir.", Ursa said with a bow. Tertullian picked up a piece of parchment and fanned himself.

"My goodness its warm today. I can't believe Caesar is sitting through this kind of meeting this afternoon. It's very hot in the senate and he's always expected to dress as if he's going into political and physical combat.", Tertullain said softly to himself as he sat back in his chair and went back to work. Ursa took that to heart and mind as she looked behind the scribe at the library.

"Sir?", she asked timidly.

"Yes, child?", he replied not looking up.

"If it isn't out of place, might I come in tonight and look through some of these scrolls to get a better grasp of life in the capital and in the palace?", she asked with a small bow.

Tertullian smiled and looked up at her. "If you would really like that, then you may. It does my heart good to see young citizens so hungry for knowledge. No one else must know, but you may come and read after you have delivered that message. You may stay until the sun goes down. Will that be long enough?"

Ursa smiled brightly. "Yes, sir. Thank you.", she said before hurrying off towards the senate. She made a side trip into the kitchen for a moment, then went on the rest of the way with a plan for a small, but monumental act of kindness for the emperor in her head. This would more than win the young man's favour and possibly his heart.

Commodus was beginning to get extremely angry and feel very ill. Why wasn't anyone noticing this? He didn't really want them to see him as weak and suffering perse, but he did wish that someone would show concern for the fact that he was suffering at all. He looked over at Lucilla desperately, but she refused to look at her baby brother at all. Sadness and hurt added itself to the nauseating coctail of negative emotion mixing violently within him. He could barely even understand what was being said at the moment. How on earth did the senate expect him to do any decent amount of good for the empire if he couldn't even perform the normal thoughtless functions like breathing and seeing without a great deal of pain and effort? Were they soulless? He groaned and tried to stand, and demand a recess, but all the strength in him had melted and dripped to the floor beside his senses. He groaned a little louder, hoping that Lucilla would take notice and come to help him. No such luck, Lucilla was focused too greatly on being the sensible one in the room. He felt so miserable. He prayed for unconsciousness or death, whichever would be merciful enough to respond.

The senators, Gracchus included, suddenly became silent. The change from the norm would usually have warranted Commodus standing and becomming defensive, but at the moment he knew he could barely move. The senators watched in disbelief as a young girl was escorted in to the senate by one of the Praetorians. She had a scroll attached to her sash and carried a pitcher and chalice. She walked over to the emperor and bowed politely, holding back the numerous expletives she wanted to shout at the senate and his sister. He looked terrible! He was soaked with sweat and a bright shade of red from the sun and heat. His eyes spun as if he had recieved a massive blow to the head. Ursa said nothing, but reached down and took the scroll from her sash, handing it to him. He reached for it after a second when his taxed senses finally gave the message to the rest of his body that he neede to take the scroll from the girl in front of him. He wasn't even alert enough to see that the girl that was serving him the message was the psuedo-candidate that had caused so much trouble recently and inadvertantly saved his life as well. He began to undo the tie on the scroll and slowly open it, but his eyes just couldn't focus on the words to read them properly. He groaned and grasped his head. Ursa frowned and picked up the chalice, then filled it with the cool fresh water she had retrieved from the kitchen along with the chalice and pitcher. After she had filled it, she forced the cup into his hands, not giving him the opportunity to try and refuse for his pride's sake.

He gave no argument as the primitive side of him was overcome with thirst and had been presented with an immediate solution. He said nothing and drank quickly. Lucilla watched in amazement alongside the rest of the senators. He finished after a brief moment and then looked over the order on the scroll to make sure that Tertullian had thorough, concise, and accurate to his request. He smiled and handed the parchment back to the messenger without looking to his side to see who it had been. He held the chalice out for her to take as well, but Ursa simply took it and set it on the floor beside the pitcher in case he might need it again.

"Tell Tertullian to have this issued at once.", he stated.

"Of course, sire.", Ursa replied. Commodus felt a jolt of electricity run through him. That voice again! He turned arund quickly to look into the eyes of his true love. Instead he came face to face with Cicero's little sister. He gulped and motioned for her to go on her way. Had the heat really warped him to the point that he was hearing that wonderful voice everywhere? Certainly it couldn't have been the fact that the girl was in fact the one who had touched his heart. He sighed and rubbed his head. Logically, it had to be the fact that he had been concentrating so hard on finding the young woman, done without sleep, hadn't eated well all day, been exposed to such heat, and then been shocked to see the tiresome girl in the senate itself. That was the only logical explanation. He sighed and turned around again, trying to calm himself and gather his senses once more.

Then again, it was incredibly selfless and tender what she had just done. Messngers were only ever asked to deliver messages, nothing else. She had seen to end his suffering out of the kindness of her own heart and mind. He sighed and rubbed his head. Why hadn't he had the presence of mind to at least say thank you to her? She must have thought by now that he was just as thoughtless and ungrateful as the rest of the royals in the palace. Especially adding to that the somewhat long-standing history she had with him of random assualts by either him or one of the other nobles/senators. He couldn't imagine her confusion and sorrow. He had to let her go and rid both of them of the trouble she was facing in being forced to stay here. He sighed. He wondered if the impression she had of him was what the general citizens had. If so, perhaps he would need to work a little harder to gain popular approval after all. Still, the act she had just performed was so... well...loving. There really was no other word for it. She had shown him in that small act one of the six forms of love that scholars had written about for centuries. He thought about this for a moment longer. She deserved to be rewarded for all of the heartache she had endured at his hand and the two great shows of loyalty she had displayed for him. He knew exactly what he would do. He would ask both her and her brother to his table that night, present her with the valuable pitcher, chalice, and dagger from the previous night to keep, and then grant her freedom to leave with documentation that she had been too young to be accepted as one of the concubines. Surely that would be as great a show of kindness as what she had done. He thought for a moment longer. No, it wouldn't. She acted out of pure tenderness, not returning any favours. He smiled. Perhaps the muse of Esther had been right after all, perhaps his people really did love him.


	11. Titles and Time

Chapter 11: Titles and Time

Cicero was sent for immediately after the senate adjurned. Ursa was also informed of the emperor's wish for her to join him that evening at dinner. She sighed heavily. He and several other men around the palace had repeatedly told her how beautiful she was. Did he wish to display her to his friends and other nobles like a piece of art? That was low, perhaps the norm in the palace for his women, but low nonetheless. The other women were allowed to help her prepare for the evening, but Ursa refused. She had to get to Tertullian's archives and get as much as she could in a small amount of time. She bathed for a brief moment to satisy the demands of the older and more formidable women, but then hurried off towards the archives. She wore a fairly simple vestment; a gown of pale lavendar (requested by Lucilla to show that the girl had somewhat of a higher place than most of the concubines and possibly shame her brother), and only her silver jewlery that her travels and so on had given her. He hair was unbraided or propped up, but the natural waves seemed to set her shoulders and face into a lovely shape. Ursa ignored the reactions of the guards at her beauty and went into the office where Tertullian sat making a second copy of the edict from that morning. He looked up and smiled.

"You really are interested in this, aren't you?", Tertullian asked. Ursa nodded slightly.

"I will need to be informed when the emperor goes to dinner this evening, I am to be there as well.", she stated breathlessly.

"My goodness! What on earth are you doing here? You should be getting ready.", he argued.

"I am ready. I need to look at the documents from the past six months in regards to Praetorian activity.", she stated. Tertullian looked at her curiously. "Time is a factor for the moment, sir. I must hurry."

He nodded and showed her to a large set of shelves that was slowly being filled with documents from the senate and the scribes. She sighed and began to pick them up one by one. Within a mere minute, she had learned which were sealed and meant for the Praetorians, the senate, or other dignitaries. She looked through the orders to the Praetorians furiously. To her surprise, the documents bearing Commodus's seal and signature were solely about sending Praetorians into the private sectors to keep peace with specific orders as to what were infractions on the law. The infractions were typical; theft, disturbing the peace, violence, sedition, and murder. She looked through a few more, noticing that the ones that bore only the emperor's signature were orders to arrest peoples that spoke in any manner against he empire's establishment. Below was a hadwritten explanation of what that entailed. Basically speaking, any person caught using the empire in a lengthy conversation without using only words of praise were to be considered enemies of the crown. She stared at them more closely. This was not the emperor's or Tertullian's handwriting. Not to mention, the emperor's usually proud signature was slightly lopsided. These documents were of a technicality official due to bearing his signature, but did not have the seal. She slipped three of them into her garment under a fold of cloth near the sash. She gathered up the last of them and began to put them back. As she worked, Tertullian left the room to go and see about one of the other messengers he had called for, but had never appeared. She shook her head. The room was empty and too silent. She felt apprehensive enough about the night to come without this horrible lack of sound. She breathed deeply and began to sing softly. The sound of her own voice reminded her of her brother and became that much more comforting to her.

"Sleep my baby, sleep.

The stars around your cradle keep you.

Hush and close your eyes,

The moon will sing your lullabies.

While the the moon wakes the night,

Now begin your dreamland flight.

I'll always be near,

'Til the morning light is clear.

Sleep my, my baby, sleep.

The stars around your cradle keep you.

Hush and close your eyes,

The moon will sing your lullabies."

Commodus walked through the hallway towards his bedchamber to dress for the evening. He wanted desperately to be rid of these clothes and this armour. He sighed as he neared Tertullian's office. He should go in and see how the edict was coming along. He stopped at the door, standing perfectly still at the sound of a familiar young girl singing pouring from the slightly open door. He felt every nerve in his body stand on edge and hold still as if listening as well. He found the presence of mind to open the door a little more and see who was singing. The song and voice were definitely the same that he had heard from the muse in the catacombs. He felt his breath trying to rush ahead of him and find her identity first. He steadied himself and tried to stay calm, demanding that his breath be as cautious as he was. He looked towards the rows of shelves and stared at the sight of his beloved. A young girl with flowing dark hair in a simple dress of pale lavendar. The scent of jasmine still lingering from her presence at the doorway, he breathed deeply and watched. She didn't seem to notice him, but that was to his advantage for the moment. He wanted the song to continue forever and he wanted to get much closer to her to get a look and perhaps finally get ahold of her person to find out who she was. The song continued into a most beautiful second verse.

"Sleep, my baby, sleep.

It's time to herd the dreamland sheep.

Hush and close your eyes.

At peace beneath the starry skies.

While the sun goes to bed,

Lay and rest your tender head.

As song fades to day,

Sleeping in thy cradle lay.

Sleep, my baby, sleep.

The stars around your cradle keep you.

Hush and close your eyes.

The moon will sing your lullabies."

He smiled and felt a tear roll down one cheek without sadness. Her voice, it made is heart so light and happy and filled him with comfort that no human on earth had ever been able to offer. He had found himself lying awake thinking of it, it stole his concentration from every aspect of life that he really should have been focusing on government and so on. He didn't care, this was love. It had to be, there was no other explanation. His heart leapt and his body tensed as she began to turn around and climb down from the stool she was using. Her eyes met his. She gasped. He almost cried out in shock. It was that insufferable little candidate, Cicero's little sister! He suddenly realized he didn't even know the girl's name. He had never bothered to ask it. The girl jumped backwards without thinking and began to fall off of the stool onto the hard stone floor. He rushed forward instantly, terriffied that he would stand there as his beloved was hurt. It didn't matter who she had been in the rest of the palace, he had fallen madly in love with this girl in the catacombs. He caught her in both arms like a small child and looked down at her. She stared back up in disbelief.

"Sire...I...", she stammered.

"It was _you_. It was you all along. You were the muse in the catacombs.", he whispered. She continued to stare at him. "Why didn't you tell me? Why didn't you come to me and tell me who you were?"

"I thought you'd be angry.", she admitted.

"Angry at what? You are the only person in the world to have ever taken me into a warm embrace without thought for reward or obligation. You are...", he trailed off and stared deeply into her eyes. "You are what I truly desire. I thought it from the moment I saw you! Now, I _know_ it's true!"

She shifted and tried to stand on her own. "Sire, I can't be with you. I can't.", she whispered. His heart shattered slightly.

"Why?', he whispered to keep his voice from audibly cracking. He felt a storm of tears forming at the idea she would refuse him.

"You are emperor. When I am done pleasing you, you will go on to another woman who feels tenderly for you. I would simply be another woman in your bed and life. I am more contented to be that without the heartache of being fully attached to you.", she said looking away. He reached for her hair taking it and carefully turning her to face him.

"How dare you deny my heart! I have thought of nothing but your words these past days and hours! I have seen nothing but the shape of your arms in the darkness! I have heard nothing but your voice in my mind until it drives me mad to be without it!", he said beginning to feel truly desperate. He had never felt so strongly about anything before. Surely she could see that he loved her more than anything on the planet. She looked up at him, beginning to cry a little.

"You see, even now you speak to me as my ruler and not my love. It would never be right, sire. You will always be my emperor, not my husband and never my lover.", she said softly. "I gave you the warmth I did out of my tender nature, or so I've been told. You would react towards me solely out of passion."

"But I want you!", he shouted. His voice became high-pitched and sorrowful like a child denied a pet. She turned away. "Every woman in the empire wants me, why don't you?"

"Because, sire, every woman in the kingdom wants to embrace your throne, to hold your crown to her heart tenderly and kiss your signet ring. I have only been with you when you were void of all of these things. I love Commodus, not the Caesar. You cannot be both, and you must be the one for the sake of yourself and your people.", she explained. "I realize that I cannot deny you my person as you own all within our borders, but I cannot give you my heart."

He felt uncontrollably angry and sad all at once like he had so many times before, but never to this magnitude. Ursa clutched the scrolls at her belt and breathed deeply. Cicero should be happy, she would leave with him the next day and she would have the proof she needed for the cause. All the better, the emperor would be without feelings for her and she would have destroyed everything she had felt for him. It was a hopeless cause to romance an emperor, she thought. He had so much to keep his attentions, he would scarcely see a wife as more than a terribly expensive concubine anyway. She sighed and bowed low.

"I need to go and ready for the evening.", she said softly. He said nothing, but watched as she left quickly. His heart pounded madly within him. This couldn't be happening! He had felt wonderful when with her these past few days, and now she would deny everything that had caused the tenderness for him? It was insanity! He stopped and thought for a moment. His mother had told him that there was always a way to make something right if you and any other person involved were still living, always. He began to place several phrases she had spoken together with a number of clever ideas. He smiled. He would do something that night that no other emperor had ever done indeed, he would woo his beloved. She resisted him as emperor, what of him as simply a man?

Cicero sat down beside Ursa at the table. Ursa was seated at the right side of the emperor and Lucilla at the left. Lucilla looked less than happy to be sitting at this small event. Lucius, her son, tried to sit as quietly and still as possible despite his obvious disinterest in what was going on. Ursa looked at the boy and smiled. She was getting to an age where almost all of the other girls around her were toting an infant of their own. A small amount of sorrow gripped her. Cicero had carried a label all of his life being scarred and tending to her, so he had never really been given the option of marrying and having a family of his own. She would probably bear a similar label after this ordeal. The doors at the far end of the room opened. Lucilla stood instantly and everyone else followed suit. Lucilla almost shouted in surprise and indignation at what entered. Commodus approached the table wearing nothing but a tunic as simple as that which Cicero wore; no crown, no jewelry. Cicero stared at the young man in total amazement, as did Ursa. The few people standing around the table watched in silence as the plain youth approached the head of table and sat down. He looked towards his sister and nodded. The group sat down slowly. Lucilla cleared her throat.

"Brother, you are almost undressed. Are you too warm?", she asked looking away slightly.

"No, Lucilla. In fact, I haven't felt warm since yesterday. Warmth is hard for me to come by. It always has been.", he replied looking directly at Ursa. "I don't believe everyone here has been introduced. Perhaps we could begin with you, sister and get to know one another a little better?"

Lucilla scoffed and stood, stating her title and name. Lucius stood and did the same in the most grown-up manner possible. Cicero stood and looked towards the emperor in confusion. Was he mocking them or was he at something else?

"I am Cicero of the house of Meridias.", he stated carefully. Ursa stood, shaking slightly and bowed to everyone.

"I am Ursa Luna, of the house of Cicero of the house of Meridias.", she said softly. As everyone settled into a mild uneasiness, Commodus stood proudly and looked directly at Ursa.

"I am Commodus, of the house of Antonine.", he said. Lucilla gasped. Cicero simply looked up in shock and awe at this gesture. "I am very pleased to be with you both."

"Thank you, sire.", Cicero said in an off tone.

"Did I give a title for you to respect?", Commodus replied looking at the young man and his sister. "There are no titles here, just friends."

Ursa felt a twinge of something race through her. She was feeling...charmed. He was being absoloutely charming. She blushed and turned away slightly. Cicero felt anger in him. This had to be somekind of mockery. He said nothing as they ate unless asked a direct question, and even then his answers were short and not very sweet. At the close of the evening, a servant brought three bundles to the table and set them between Ursa and Commodus. He opened them, revealing the pitcher she had used to carry water, the chalice she had brought with it, and the dagger she had used to try and fend off a would be assassin at the emperor's window. She looked up at him in confusion.

"What are all those?", Cicero demanded. Part of him suspected that the words 'evidence', 'sedition', 'attempt', and 'my life' were about to be the keys to the emperor's explanation. He had heard of rulers in the past exposing treasonous nobles and such at gatherings like these. He stood up and looked directly at Commodus and Ursa in turn. "What is this?"

"This,", Commodus said holding up the silver pitcher, "...is a pitcher, Cicero. It's used to carry water. This is a chalice, you drink from it. And this is a dagger, quite handy in surprise skrimmiges.", he said with a laugh. Cicero glared at him hatefully.

"I am not a fool, I know what those things are. I want to know why they are here.", Cicero growled.

"You're being awfully ill-tempered with a man that you just a moment ago refered to as 'sire', Cicero.", Commodus said coldly. He hoped that would be the only thing needed at the moment to put the impertenant little nuissance in his place. Cicero sat down slowly and continued an angry stare at the young man sitting next to his sister. "Ursa Luna, weren't all of these in your possession at some time or another?"

Ursa opened her mouth to speak. Cicero grabbed her arm harshly. She looked at him in confusion as he shook his head slightly at her. She turned back to Commodus.

"Yes, sire. I have used them recently.",she admitted cautiously.

"To bring sustenance and protection to someone?", he asked playfully. She looked at him more inquisitively and nodded. "Isn't that indicative of that someone being someone you love?"

Ursa stood up sternly and looked at him. "I told you I had love for you and I do. I love you as I would love my brother, or your nephew over there."

"That's disturbing.", Commodus said smiling. Ursa glared at him.

"If you think for one minute that simply removing your royal 'shell' and spouting off a few clever phrases is going to change my mind then you are sadly mistaken. I have sorrowed being without my brother and away from my home! I am not going to...", Ursa began ranting. She tried to muster as much anger and indignation as possible to remove any feelings of love she really was having for him especially after he had returned with such a touching gesture. She was unable to complete the ranting when Commodus rose to meet her gaze and grabbed her around the waist, pulling her into a kiss as unexpected as the comfort she had given. Ursa felt all of her breath cease instantly and fire take its place. The world buzzed uncontrollably around her for a moment. She was sure she could hear Lucilla gasping, Lucius laughing, and her brother making threats and protesting; but none of those sounds mattered. She could hear the heartbeat of a man she had in just a few days grown to love more deeply than anything. His breath moved slowly and his heart raced, crying out her name. After a brief eternity in one another's souls, the two parted and stared at each other. Commodus took out a roll of parchment from his belt and handed it to her gently.

"This ensures your freedom and honour in the empire. You are free to go home now, Ursa Luna.", he said softly. Then looked at her more coyly. "Perhaps, though, I should call you Esther. The one who serves the king in secret, without selfish notion or personal gain."

She stared back at him in disbelief. Cicero stood and demanded Ursa follow him. It was time to go home. She continued to stare at the young man in front of her.

"You want me to leave?", she asked, feeling the same hurt that he had felt earlier that day when she had refused him.

"With all my heart, no. But I will not keep you, I love you.", he replied.

"That's nonsense! Utter nonsense! Come on, Ursa. Let's go.", Cicero said. He was beginning to feel a little desperate. Ursa turned and looked at him once more. She turned back to her beloved.

"Give me one day. I need to know that what I am feeling will be true no matter where I go and not simply in the palace alone.", she said softly. He felt his heart ache terribly at this, but nodded. If what she felt for him was genuine, and really he knew that it was, then she would be back the next night. He released her and watched her follow her brother. Cicero glared at the emperor as they turned to leave and then stopped. He turned and looked directly at the young man.

"I thank you for keeping your word, Caesar.", he said flatly. Commodus nodded to him and watched the two leave. The next few hours would feel like a cold, lonely, eternity.


	12. The Meeting and The Plot

Chapter 12: The Meeting and The Plot

Cicero led Ursa back to their home. Ursa remained very quiet throughout the trip back. As they entered the house, Ursa wondered if she had done the right thing. Would the emperor simpy allow her back in after such a display? She tried to think solely of how wonderful it would be to hold him again. She sighed and sat down in one of the familiar chairs in their small den. Cicero smiled and walked over to her. He stood her up and held onto her as tightly as he could. She smiled contentedly and breathed in her only sibling. She had missed him so much the past few days. He pulled away and looked down at her with a grin.

"For the first time in a week we'll sleep properly.", he stated. Ursa nodded to him. "Let's have some hot milk like we used to do, eh?" Just as Ursa was about to answer, there was a soft knock on the door. The two turned and Cicero went instantly to the door. Standing in the doorway were three cloaked figures. Cicero bowed a little and allowed the three to enter. The figures were senators Gracchus and Gaius and Lady Lucilla. Ursa stood and bowed politely. The three nodded and approached her specifically and rather forwardly. Ursa took a few steps back as the trio advanced on her.

"Are you alright, Ursa?", Gracchus asked worriedly. She nodded back at him and looked up at them nervously.

"What did you find? Is he planning to assassinate all of the disfavoured senators or only their families?", Gaius asked. Ursa looked at him in disgust.

"Neither! He's not planning anything like that!", she said defensively. The three looked at one another and nodded. "I've found out several interesting things. I've brought some proof of what's really been going on in the palace. I think someone might be forging Commodus's signature. Specifically Falco, he seems to be truly pursuing the throne."

"You refer to him by name?", Gaius asked in amazement. The other two shook their heads slightly.

"Here, I brought these scrolls for our cause.", Ursa said handing them the bundle of parchments from the archives. Gracchus accepted them cautiously. "There's so much corruption in Falco's corner of the senate and in parts of the military as well. We should really look into them first. Commodus is naive, he's following the advice that most everyone gives him."

"But he does wield such power.", Lucilla said to the other two. "Removing him would remove the puppet they are using."

Ursa looked at her in confusion. How could she remove her brother from the throne? The only plausible way was to kill him, but surely his own sister wasn't entertaining such an idea. Ursa sighed and sat down. The three and Cicero spoke quietly and quickly in the next room. Ursa was too tired and involved in her thoughts and feelings to care.

"This documentation proves nothing. Commodus did sign these. He must be destroyed. As long as he has power, than the greater number of people fueling his evil will flourish.", Lucilla said firmly. Gracchus shifted.

"My lady, perhaps we could simply have him legally removed. It might take a little while, but no one would be hurt in the process.", Gracchus offered. Lucilla shook her head.

"My brother is beyond reason or control. He must die.", she said sadly. Cicero touched her shoulder. She felt more adamantly than anyone else in the group aside from Maximus that Commodus should be killed. It seemed terrible that his sister would think this, but all of them agreed that she would know better than the rest of them. She, after all, spent more time with him and knew more of his intimate thoughts than anyone. Cicero looked over towards his sister and frowned.

"Surely we can simply have him kidnapped, permanently.", Cicero reasoned. Lucilla and Gaius turned towards him skeptically.

"Why? Do you think he already suspects something becuase of a certain someone speaking with him privately?", Gaius asked coldly. Cicero took a few defensive steps backwards.

"Of course not. I just fear for my sister. She's grown a little piteous of the rat. It might break her heart if we went through with a plan to end him.", Cicero explained. Lucilla stepped closer to him and mustered her politician's manner. She placed a hand comfortingly on the young man's shoulder as she had done when suggesting to send Ursa in as a concubine.

"Cicero, it is exactly that fraternal love and commitment that encourages my decision.", she said sweetly. "My brother is suffering more than any other human on the earth. He is completely alone, bearing the weight of the empire, and is being used as a toy by ever politician near the capital and far. It would be most merciful to end his constant suffering. He won't even sleep without a tonic anymore. He will be at peace and with our parents again."

Cicero felt strangely comforted at the thought of that. He wished desperately that his parents were alive again in these troubled times. Hearing that another mourning orphan would have the privelege of being re-united with his loving patronage was wonderful. Of course, Cicero was made to ignore the fact that the reunion would mean the presence of murder. He sighed and nodded. Commodus seemed very confused, as was made painfully obvious by his display that night. Cicero looked at the three of them.

"How should it be done?", he asked. Lucilla and the other two looked at one another and nodded for a moment.

"We will need the help of Maximus.", Lucilla said softly. "It is something that he would be more than happy to do since he has ptitied my brother since his early ages. We will discuss the matter with him now and then meet again tomorrow night."

Cicero nodded and bowed. He looked over at Ursa once more. She seemed to be pining. It angered him. He turned back to Lucilla. She watched Ursa closely for a moment.

"We should probably make sure that she can't go back to the palace tonight after what's been said. For that matter, she should be kept in for at least three days until this is completed.", Lucilla said softly. Cicero looked at her, terriffied. Was Lucilla suggesting that they imprison his little sister. She looked at him, noticing his fear and again smiled in a calming manner. "She hasn't slept well for days. That is the answer, Cicero.", she said holding out a small flask to him. "It is very powerful, only give her a few drops every time the sun changes from day to night and vice versa. She will be perfectly safe, but in a very sound sleep."

Cicero accepted the flask hesitantly. He stared at it pensively. It would be in his sister's best interest to keep her safely out of the way. Her current infatuation with the emperor could prove deadly for everyone involved if she uncovered what was about to transpire. He knew Ursa's nature, she would immediately reveal the plan to him and cost them their lives and her own. Commodus was not a reasonable person and would kill anyone near a citizen accused of an attempt on his miserable life. Paranoia, rather than simple overindulgence, marked this young Caesar's persona among the senate. He nodded to Lucilla and the others.

"I will keep alert and make sure nothing goes awry.", Cicero said with a bow. "I thank you for protecting my sister while she was in the palace."

Lucilla smiled and nodded. "It was the least I could do after such a selfless gesture on both your accounts.", she lied smoothly. Cicero watched as the men left his small home. Gracchus hesitated. He turned to Cicero and spoke softly.

"I think permanent abduction would be a much better course of action. Would you and Ursa be with me if I attempted this myself?", he asked in an almost inaudible whisper. Cicero stared at him for a moment, then back at Ursa. He smiled. If he could keep everyone clean of the youth's blood, then all the better. He turned back to Gracchus and nodded firmly. Gracchus smiled. What appeared to be true fear and worry for the emperor was blazon on the old man's face. Cicero dismissed this. Gracchus was 'the friend of Rome' and cared deeply for every citizen and politician alike, Commodus would be no exception. Cicero walked over to Ursa for a moment and embraced her. She returned the gesture and looked up at him.

"Is everything alright? Did my information help at all?", she asked excitedly. He smiled.

"Yes, it was most useful to Lady Lucilla and the senators. It has made their decisions change slightly.", he lied. Ursa smiled. "I'll be right back."

Cicero moved to the kitchen and then out to the well where the milk they kept was lowered into the cool of the open earth. He pulled up the rope that held it and poured a small amount into a pitcher. He took the pitcher inside and set it over the hot coals of the dwindling fire at the front of the fireplace. The back fire was still burning quite brightly. He turned to Ursa and smiled a little more at her. She did the same, but only for a moment. The truth of the fact that Ursa was actually missing Commodus almost made the young man furious. He sighed and poured the milk into two cups. As Ursa looked longingly our the window, Cicero carefully put three drops of Lucilla's potion into one of the cups and brought the two over to his sister, offering her one of them. She breathed heavily and took the one in front of her. Cicero watched her drink the draught slowly and her eyes grow heavier. He felt a twinge of guilt, but pushed it violently aside to reassure himself that this would help her a great deal. Ursa leaned on him and smiled.

"I have missed you, Cicero.", she said yawning. He downed his milk in one swallow and then lifted her to him. The two laid back against the wall with Ursa laying to her brother's side, but her upper body propped against his. She smiled as she drifted off to a sound sleep. Cicero looked down at his sister and felt drowsiness settle warmly on him. He smiled. Everything in the world seemed to be fitting perfectly right now.

"Don't worry, little bear. I won't let anyone take you away, ever again.", he breathed as he kissed the top of her head and slumped over to sleep. In the palace, Commodus lay awake feverishly thinking of what the next day would hold for him and Ursa.


	13. Decisions Made in Haste

Chapter 13: Decisions Made In Haste

Maximus waited patiently in his cell as Lucilla and Gracchus entered. They spoke for several minutes simply about the state of the empire and how all of it was the fault of young Commodus. Gracchus spoke as freely as possible so that neither of the other two would suspect the plan he was forming. Lucilla and Maximus agreed that senator Gracchus would come within the next week and purchase Maximus's freedom. After that, Maximus could return to his men in Ostia with Cicero and Ursa. Gracchus thought to himself at the same time where the best place to send Commodus would be. He had a summer home near Naples at the ocean front. Commodus had always loved the sea and would truly feel at home there. He smiled to himself at the young man simply spending the rest of his life as an artist or something like it. Lucilla turned to him and stared at him reproachfully.

"Senator, what is it?", she asked. He straightened his expression and cleared his throat.

"I simply imagine how wonderful the empire will be once in the hands of a republic once more.", he lied. She nodded, satisfied with the answer. Maximus looked at both of them worriedly.

"How is Ursa? Is Cicero fairing alright?", he asked. Lucilla frowned. If they told him that Ursa was free of the palace then he might feel a little less angry at her brother, but then he might feel discouraged to act if he thought that Ursa would be in the palace and in immediate danger. She looked up at him with false tears in her eyes.

"Commodus took her to his bed...twice. Now she has been sent home.", she lied. Maximus turned a bright shade of red and breathed heavily. He reached for a vase on the table near where he was sitting in Proximo's school. He threw it madly to the floor. It shattered into a hundred pieces with water and dead flowers strewn everywhere. He shouted in rage for a moment and then silenced himself. He looked at Gracchus, who simply looked at Lucilla in disbelief. He didn't dare argue with the woman since she been acting very odd as of late and it frightened him. "We have given her a draught that will keep her calmed until you are freed and can take her away from the capital."

"What of Cicero?", Maximus said, now pacing like a caged tiger.

"He was brutalized when he came to the palace.", Lucilla explained, again giving only partial truth to the angry soldier. "He is also with Ursa. They will be alright until you come for them, I think."

"Then we must be quick about this.", Maximus growled. He felt his heart reding in pieces for the hurt that was being done to those that were dear to him and still living; he was powerless to help them at the moment making the torment that much more great to him. He fought back tears, he was tired of them as of late. Lucilla put a comforting hand on his shoulder. "How soon will you be back for me?"

"In three days.", Gracchus interjected. That should be all the time it would take to smuggle an unconscious royal from the palace out to a hiding place. Lucilla looked at him inquisitively. "Anything sooner would be suspicious to him."

She thought about this for a moment and nodded. The three said goodbye and left the school hurriedly. As Lucilla entered the palace to check on Lucius, a frightening figure met her. She gasped and took a few steps back.

"Done speaking with the condemned, are you?", the icy voice asked. She nodded sadly. The man smiled. "Good. Lucius is sleeping soundly. He's such a sweet boy, really."

"You promised not to harm him!", she exclaimed in a whisper.

"I am well aware of what I promised. I gave my word to not harm him if you kept your word to open the throne to me.", the man said walking around her slowly. "Your brother is still awake if you wish to go and initiate the first step."

"Everything must go according to plan or nothing will work. Commodus must die first and then Maximus must be executed for it.", Lucilla corrected. "You know that, Gaius."

The malicious old senator laughed cruelly. "You still love him, don't you? After the hardships he has caused your family, the embarrassments, the laughter he has elicited from nobles. He's thorn in the flesh, Lucilla. He _will _be removed or Lucius will suffer a little accident.", Gaius warned. Lucilla looked up at him desperately. "We wouldn't want that, now, would we?"

She shook her head furiously, looking down with heavy tears weighing on her like boulders. "I will do as you have requested."

"That's my girl.", Gaius said coldly. He forced her to face him and pressed his lips onto hers in a kiss of pure contempt. She groaned and pulled away. "Good night, My Lady."

Lucilla watched him stalk away. She ran into her son's room to make sure he was still intact. She breathed a sigh of relief at seeing he was sleeping peacefully just as she had left him. She tried to ignore the unsettling encounter and walked calmly into her brother's room. She walked over to his bedside. He noticed her and almost fell off the bed from jumping in surprise. She smiled and sat down as tenderly as their mother had done years ago. He looked up at her worriedly.

"Do you think she will come back?", he asked. He had revealed what Ursa had told him before leaving. He could keep no secrets from his sister. In any time of trouble, she had always been the only person he could count on. She looked away a little.

"You need to rest now, brother. Ursa was very shaken by her first night here. It is possible that she may never love a man truly.", she said.

He gulped and looked away. Lucilla felt her heart twisting in knots. She wanted to scream everything that was transpiring out to her brother. To tell him how much she loved him and how sorry she was. She wanted to tell him to leave the palace this instant and go to Ursa if he really loved her. She looked away as well. She couldn't face this helpless little boy that she was going to aid in destroying. Still, after everything he had put their family through he deserved death. She shook that thought away. She blamed his constant scheming and explosive temper for their father's death. The old man would have lived much longer had his heart not been weakened by Commodus's incessant need to be a pest. She loved him, but she was so very angry with him. She reached into her tunic and withdrew a small vial filled with a similar draught to what she had given Cicero. This one was diluted a great deal to make sure that it wouldn't kill him and he wouldn't be unable to function as emperor the next day. She handed it to him and watched him drink it without question. He had such trust for her. That was the very reason that Gaius had preyed on her, she was the only direct link to the little weasel. She felt her breath catch in her chest at the thougt of Gaius. Commodus noticed the horrified look on his sister's face. He frowned and sat up a little more.

"Sister, is everything alright? Is something troubling you?", he asked softly.

She shook her head and wiped her eyes a little. He looked at her closely. She wasn't going to tell him what was really going on in his mind. He sighed and laid back, feeling sleep taking him almost immediately. She watched as her little brother fell into a sound sleep. It was dangerous to give him the draught after what Galen had told her. His breath would randomly stop in his sleep and Galen felt that someday it would never return to him. She wished desperately that he would wake and demand to know everything from her, then she would have an excuse to lay before Gaius as the reason for telling him of the plans. Instead, he settled into a dreamless slumber. Lucilla glared at how peaceful he looked at the moment. She stood and walked away angrily. She stormed into her chambers and fell onto her bed, sobbing madly.


	14. The Symptoms of Heartbreak

Chapter 14: The Symptoms of Heartbreak

Commodus was agitated all day. He stayed away from practice with the other recruits and both the morning and afternoon meals. He stayed near the entrance of the palace for the better part of the day, pacing back and forth like an expectant father. He looked up towards the goings on in the city every now and then, but still continued to pace nervously. He sighed heavily when the sun began to shift positions towards evening. He tried to soothe his growing fear. She said she would be home for one day, that means until the time she left, he told himself. She wasn't due back until late in the evening. He sighed and sat down on one of the guest chairs and tried to slow his heart. Quintus, head of the Praetorians, had tried to discover several times what had been troubling the young man, but Commodus remained very quiet about the whole matter. No one needed to know aside from Lucilla. The guards and soldiers were impetuous, sometimes as much as he was. It was taking every ounce of strength in him to not wander into the city and find her to bring her back. He knew that his men would do that for him if it meant ending the sudden uneasiness of their ruler and making him happier. Lucilla walked up to him a moment later.

"You are needed in the senate, brother.", she said softly.

"No, I'm not. Let them gnaw at each other this afternoon, I've got enough going on to be attacked by a vicious murder of dried up old crows.", he said angrily. Lucilla glared at him. He looked down and sighed heavily. "I don't think she's coming back."

"It doesn't look like it, Commodus. She is, after all, only a peasant. She isn't bred with proper manners.", Lucilla said before turning to leave. "The senate awaits."

He groaned at the thought of facing the old cretins right now. He wanted to go back to his quarters and cry forever. Instead, he gathered his strength and pushed away every ready emotion as he walked towards the senate room. His footsteps resounded as he pressed forward, echoing a lonely chorus that reminded him he walked alone and always would.

In the small dwelling on the outskirts, Cicero and Ursa still lay sleeping side by side. Neither had stirred since the previous night and weren't missing much of the day seeing as there was little for either of them to be doing for the next week or so. Ursa began to stir as a child on the street began to shout for one of his friends. She opened both eyes and looked around. She gasped and jumped up, looking out the window.

"Oh, no! It's almost evening!", she cried. She looked down at her brother. She had to tell him that she was going back to the palace. She had intended to use this day at home to explain how she truly felt for Commodus and how he had expressed feelings that reciprocated them without a doubt. She shook him repeatedly, but the young man only groaned and fell over still sleeping. Ursa frowned. She would have to send word to him in the morning. Commodus wouldn't wait for her, he shouldn't be made to. She grabbed the pitcher and chalice she had been sent home with and raced back towards the palace as quickly as she could. Ursa arrived as the sun took its position to begin setting entirely. Quintus was passing the gates as she approached and demanded entrance. The guards at the gate tried to shoo her away, but Quintus approached and offered to see what she wanted. Ursa looked up at him frantically. "I have to see Co- I mean the emperor. He's been expecting me today. Could you take me to him?", she asked in one breath. He stared at her for a moment, then remembered how the young monarch had sat without explanation in the entranceway for hours on end. Quintus smiled. So this is what his young master had been waiting for, a girl. Quintus chuckled at the thought of the youth's heart finally belonging to someone else. He motioned for Ursa to follow him. As the two approached the main hall, he turned and spoke quietly to her.

"Caesar is meeting with the senate at the moment. I'll show you where you can...", Quintus began. He had no time to finish as Ursa bolted past him towards the senate building's entrance. He followed after, but less quickly. She stopped only for a moment at one of the fountains. After the brief rest, she raced madly into the senate. Quintus knew that it was indeed something strange for the senate to meet this late in the evening and even more strange for the emperor to be joining them. Still, that didn't explain the girl's need to rush. Surely she could wait a few extra moments to be with him. He walked into the senate slowly only moments after Ursa. Ursa pushed past the old men as politely as she could, still holding onto the pitcher and chalice carefully. She looked around frantically to see where Commodus was seated at the moment. He wasn't on the throne as he usually was in these meetings. Her heart sank.

Sitting in one of the seats that was meant for one of the senators, Commodus sat with a wicked grin on his face as the indignant senator Gracchus stood over him complaining.

"Sire, that is my position in the senate! Yours is right over there in the centre!", the old man exclaimed. The rest of the senate watched in both amusement and confusion. Commodus shifted and looked up at him more directly.

"Peace, Gracchus. I simply want to see what it's like to know everything.", Commodus retorted cruelly. Gracchus glared at him. Lucilla gasped at the sudden boldness of her brother. He had been forward and stern with the senate before, but never this malicious. "In fact, why don't you go sit over there in my usual place and see what it's like to be the, oh how did you refer to me at the colosseum yesterday to senator Gaius, oh yes! The ignorant whelp sitting there day after day on his hands taking every ridiculous idea given to him and swallowing it like an infant. Was that word for word or did I leave something out?"

The other senators gasped. Commodus was beginning to feel a little relieved at spouting off like this. He hadn't spoken his true mind in the words that he had wanted in years, now it felt marvellous. He stood up and glared at the old man like a viper.

"Is something vexing you into madness, sire?", Gracchus asked softly. Commodus growled.

"Quite the opposite senator. In fact, I think more clearly now than I ever have which leads me to believe that I belong in your place and you in mine. So go ahead, take the throne. While you're at it, take the _crown_!", he shouted hurling the crown at the bewildered senator. "Oh, but while wearing the crown you're a target so you'll probably need _this_.", with that he yanked off his breastpate and threw it at the feet of Gracchus. "And _these_.", he said as he threw his armbands at the man. "And probably _this too_!", he summized as he hurled his sword at Gracchus. Gracchus ducked, barely missing the hilt. Commodus snarled at him and turned to the rest of the senators. "Now let's see, being a senator. Where to begin? Ah yes! Fault finding." He walked over to a group of seated senators and began pointing to each one in turn as he walked past and chided them. "You're too old, you're fat, you have the face of a goat, your voice sounds like a rusted cog, you have the worst taste in clothing I have ever seen, you're short, you're just stupid, and you..." Commodus stopped in front of a young senator. "Isn't your daughter one of the lavatorium maids?" The senator stood and moved to punch the emperor in the face, but four other senators held him off. Gracchus walked over to him desperately. If Commodus made too many enemies now, he wouldn't be able to help him as he had wanted to do all along.

"What is going on in you?", Gracchus demanded.

"I told you to go and take my place!", Commodus shouted hatefully as he grabbed Gracchus's shoulder and threw him over to the throne. Everyone gasped and someone let out a tiny shriek. Commodus turned. He recognized that cry. He began to look around frantically as Lucilla helped Gracchus stand once more. He walked over to a large grouping of senators near the entrance of the room and walked up the stairs. The senators parted quickly revealing Ursa, who stood standing in disbelief. He stared at her in shock. She stared back and looked at him in terror. Was this what happened to him when he felt mild disappointments? No, she thought, this happens when his heart is broken. She gulped a little and then stared at him for a moment and then looked down. He frowned and stared back. His chin quivered in the rythm of sheer embarrassment, with a couping of surprise, happiness, confusion, and relief. At least only one of the emotions he was sporting was negative, but the embarrassment would pass once the meeting was over and he and Ursa could be alone together. He stepped a little closer to her. She took a step backwards for a moment and examined his expression closely. She saw the worry of being alone and the fear of losing her dwindling in his eyes. She smiled and walked towards him after setting the pitcher and chalice to the ground behind one of the columns. The two met halfway and embraced tightly. Commodus grasped her as tightly as he could, fearing that if he released her for even one moment she would disappear again from him. He was not about to suffer through another hour without her. She pulled away a little and looked up at him. He looked down in adoration and kissed her tenderly. Ursa touched the side of his face as he stood smiling. The rest of the senators stood murmuring softly. Gracchus walked up a few steps behind the emperor and cleared his throat. Commodus turned to him for a moment.

"If everything is in order, sire, we will leave the senate for the day.", he said with a bow. Commodus nodded to the old man and then looked at him woefully.

"I apologize for being violent with you, senator. Everything is in order, you are all dismissed.", he said softly as he turned back to Ursa. As the senators left the building, Commodus led Ursa out through the entrance to the palace, passing Lucilla. Lucilla watched in sheer rage as the young girl passed. This was wrong! She had to undo this somehow, for Lucius's sake. These two must be seperated!


	15. Passion Realized and Plot Underway

Warning! This chapter contains sexual content that is not appropriate for persons under 16 years of age!

Chapter 15: Passion Realized and Plot Underway

Lucilla tried to follow her brother as he walked with Ursa back into the palace. Commodus repeatedly, and finally, managed to ignore his sister and think of what he thought was best for the moment. Ursa explained to Commodus that she had initially been sent to work as a concubine to prove to a group of independant political activists that he was innocent of the senate's accusations. Commodus felt a little unnerved at first, but then Ursa assured him that on no uncertain terms was there anything to their organization but investigations. She had managed to prove to everyone that he was simply very new to the throne and doing an excellent job. Unfortunately, according to her brother's research, any actions that Commodus took would not come into full effect until he had been on the throne for at least three years. He ignored most of this and continued to stare aimlessly into her eyes. She had come back to him, she truly loved him. He looked down at her and randomly pulled her to him, kissing her several times. She smiled and turned away. He took her chin in his hand and looked into her face with admiration.

"Don't ever go again, Ursa. I was a perfect ass without you all day today.", he said stroking her cheek softly.

Ursa smiled and touched his face lovingly. "Oh, Commodus.", she soothed as she kissed his cheek. "No one on earth is perfect." The two laughed and embraced tightly. As they stood feeling more incredible than they had in their lives, a man that Ursa had never seen before came walking up. He smiled brightly.

"My gracious, Sire! It seems you've found a new one while I was gone that you might actually take to your side for once.", the man said as the two turned to face him in surprise. Ursa stared at him in confusion. The man looked angelic and in his late 40's, dressed in fine yet simple tunics. Commodus took Ursa's hand and brought her to his side. "What is your name, young lady?"

"Ursa Luna.", she replied carefully.

"What a lovely name! I suppose you know who I am.", he said with a wink. Ursa looked up at Commodus inquisitively. The man almost gasped like Lucilla at seeing her brother without his crown. "I am Laetus. Keeper of the emperor's concubines. I have heard so much about you, young lady from the others since I got back this morning. The guards also had a few interesting things to say. Did you really save the emperor's life?"

"She most certainly did. We had the most laughable first few nights together, but I think both of us are well past that.", Commodus said as he looked down at Ursa longingly. She smiled back at him. "Go with Laetus, Ursa. He will bring you to me when you're ready."

Ursa nodded. Being the emperor's concubine wasn't such a terrible fate. She would be the favourite without a doubt and perhaps she would someday soon be his wife. She sighed at thinking about this. At the moment, she simply wanted to be with him and nothing more. Convictions set aside and the teachings from her brother since she was an infant came last right now, she wanted him more than the air she was breathing. He motioned for her to follow Laetus and walked quickly towards his bedchamber. Ursa smiled and watched for a second before she walked up to Laetus. He smiled at her and took her hand.

"You are a rarity, my girl. Caesar seems truly enamoured with you. I have kept concubines for his father as well and studied under several other men that kept women. It is very hard to get a royal to give you such genuine attention. Come, we'll get you ready. Tomorrow I will get you a permanent place among the other women.", Laetus said as they walked towards the women's quarters once more.

Lucilla burst into Gracchus's home, frantic. He walked over to her and took her by the shoulders.

"We cannot wait any longer! Ursa made it back to the palace and Commodus will know everything by tomorrow evening. I'm sure of it! We need to act now!", she exclaimed in one long and furious breath. He stared at her in disbelief. "Hurry up, we need to go and get Maximus!"

"My lady, it is near the middle of the night. Proximo will be in his bed by now, everyone will be. I will act quickly, but it will need to be in the morning. It can wait until then. Besides, Ursa is about to lose something precious to her and she will be sorrowing all day tomorrow rather than talking to him about simple things or revealing any plans. Have faith that this will still remain on course.", Gracchus said soothingly. She breathed heavily for a moment and then nodded. "Now, in the meantime I suggest you go to Cicero and find out what happened to him. He must have been detained from giving her a second dose of the draught for some reason."

Lucilla nodded and turned away. She drew in a deep breath and gathered resolve in her chest.

Ursa was led into the emperor's bedchamber. She trembled with excitement and fear. Being accepted as a concubine did not mean a simple ceremony where she was given the right to reside in the palace and given the order to go before the emperor when called for. Tonight, she would give him the most precious part of her tender exsistance to prove her loyalty and dedicate herself to his pleasure. She would give him her full virginity. She was led over to the bed by two of the guards that Laetus had selected. Laetus accompanied them. After hearing what trouble the young girl had given the emperor upon her first night, he felt that it would be best to at least have her wrists bound until the emperor decided to allow her free movement. A frightened young girl could become volatile, Laetus had seen it. He ordered the guards with him to tie her wrists together. Ursa felt a quiver of fear run through her at this, but calmed herself with the reassurance that there was more than a very good chance that Commodus was in love with her. Laetus looked her over once more. She had been stripped of everything save a loincloth and a very simple robe that reached a little below her knees. She sighed and looked up once more at the keeper of the women in the palace. He smiled at her.

"Good luck, child. He seems to truly adore you. I hope you find the same joy in him.", Laetus said sweetly. He had been very impressed by the kindness Ursa had shown Commodus and even more impressed at the tenderness Commodus had shown her. It seemed as if he wanted to do more than simply take her as a concubine. He sighed and left the room. Ursa lay still and quiet, breathing deeply and praying softly. After a moment, the doors to the chamber opened slightly. Commodus entered, feeling a similar fear and the same excitement that Ursa was now experiencing. He inhaled deeply and removed everything but the undergarment that covered his masculinity. He felt the chill of the night trying to embrace him as he hoped Ursa would. He walked over to the bed and climbed onto the edge at the base. Ursa sat on her knees on the centre of the bed with her arms and wrists in front of her, looking down calmly. He sighed and scooted close to her, placing one hand on each knee. She looked up at him with a measure of relief.

"Are you ready, Ursa?", he asked softly. She nodded. "There is no going back after this."

She smiled, fighting back her trembling. "I know, I am more than willing. I love you.", she said calmly. He reached over with a small dagger and sliced through the ropes that cruelly prevented her from embracing him. As she moved to wrap her arms around him, he placed one hand on either elbow and held her to the bed.

"Not yet.", he said. "Before I take you, I will enjoy you.", he said softly leaning towards her. He placed his lips against hers in a simple, but very touching kiss. She smiled as he lifted himself back up. "I am going to begin. Do not move away. Make the noises and movements you wish, but do not move away or close your eyes.", he instructed. Ursa stared at him confusedly. He had always been more tender with her than any other man would have been. Was he truly going to treat her, his slave, as a dear lover? She nodded to him. He reached behind her and moved her to a position propped up against the lavish pillows at the head of the bed. He removed her simple robe carefully and tossed it to the floor. Ursa breathed deeply and locked eyes with him. If he wanted her to keep her eyes open, then she wanted to see him and only him. He reached behind her knees and softly unfolded her legs, then parted them enough to kneel several inches away from her loincloth. He met her gaze and reached up to either side of her face with both hands. He started at her jaw and began to trace the delicate features of her visage with tremendous pleasure. He stroked her cheeks, gently touched her nose, carressed her forehead and chin, then traced the shape of each ear. Ursa breathed deeply at the small jolts of ecstasy running through her. He looked deeply at her. "Good?"

"Yes.", she replied quietly. He smiled and reached forward, kissing her softly on the left side of her jaw. Ursa smiled brightly and immediately recaptured his gaze as he sat back. He moved both hands down either side of her neck and throat. His fingers slid easily over the pale skin as if he were her own breath moving outside her body. He traced her features down to her collar and then moved each hand out to her shoulders. He lingered, making small circles over her shoulders for a brief second.

"Good?", he asked again.

"Yes.", she replied. He leaned forward and tenderly kissed the centre of her neckline. Ursa felt a soft moan forming in her throat as well as a small fire beginning to burn in her uncharted girlhood. She shifted slightly as he met her gaze and began to move his hands. He slid his fingertips down front of her arms until reaching the bend in her elbow. He slid both hands behind the elbows and began tracing the delicate backs of her arms up to the wrists. His fingers moved over the wrists softly and then over the palms coming to rest on her own fingers. He grasped the stems of her fingers in each hand and raised them up to him. He turned her hands over and sweetly kissed the underside of both wrists at once. She smiled brightly at feeling his breath against her pulse. He looked up at her in a more serious manner.

"Do not close your eyes, Ursa. Look at me and me alone.", he said firmly but softly. Ursa stayed very still except for the slight nod she gave and waited. He leaned forward a little, not moving his eyes away from hers. He was about to handle a territory before forbidden to all men. He breathed slowly and tried to focus on being as gentle with her as possible. His hands rested on the tops of her warm, round, breasts. Ursa gasped and started to look away. "Look at me, Ursa.", he reminded. She obeyed immediately as he began to softly rake his fingers over the roundness of her. He avoided the nipples, concentrating on the warm flesh that filled each of his hands. He circled all apendages around the warm bossom for a moment before finally taking each delicate nipple in the grip of only his fingertips. Ursa gasped once more, but remained fixed to his eyes. He gently cupped each breast in his hands and looked directly into her spirit. "Good?"

"Yes.", she breathed. He smiled and almost moaned as he leaned forward. He carefully moved his face into the warm flesh between her breasts. He kissed the soft skin and allowed the moan to surface. Ursa shivered at the sound of him. He felt this and smiled. She was a little frightened, but most definitely dedicated to this. He released her bossoms and moved downward, softly stroking her belly. Ursa was used to having contact on this area. Her older brother had often found it amusing to tickle her belly playfully. The sensations that were moving through her at the soft touches of her new master didn't exactly tickle, they tingled with a warmth that seemed to well from within her deepest regions. She sighed softly and shifted a little at a slight jolt of electric energy that shook her when he touched just above her groin. He looked up at her.

"Good?", he asked in a whisper. She nodded. He leaned forward with a hand on either side of her waist, pulling her belly to him. She felt his mouth cover her navel. She suddenly gasped loudly as he entered her navel with his tongue. He tenderly explored the sensitive centre of her outer beauty. She shuddered and moaned loudly. He carefully moved away from her, going as slowly as his own passions would allow. He reached down with both hands and began to trace the backs of both legs starting at her thighs. She moved a little as these sensations made her twitch more than anything up until then. He softly, and slowly traced her leg until he arrived at her knee. He leaned forward and softly kissed the side of her left knee. She smiled and continued to watch him. He traced down the rest of her leg, slding gently over the calf and achilles. His hands reached her soft and very delicate feet. He lingered over her heels for a moment, drawing small circles on them with his index finger. She breathed sharply and tilted her head back a little at the feel of this. He traced forward, moving easily over her soles, instep, and up to the pads of her toes. Ursa watched in delight as he lifted her left foot to his face and softly kissed the inner ankle. She moaned again as he did the same to her right ankle. After this, he put both hands back at her legs, this time at the front of her legs. He smiled brightly as he carressed her shins up to her kneecaps. Then he moved slowly up to her knees once more and kissed the side of her right knee sweetly. He continued to the top of each thigh and waited. He was dangerously close to the centre of her labyrinth and was now more than ready to plunge into it. He looked up at her and sat up. He leaned forward and met her nose with his. "Are you ready for me?", he asked.

She looked up at him. The last remnants of her terror were losing emmensely to the pleasure and excitement that he had just given her. She smiled.

"Yes, Commodus. I am yours, take me.", she replied in a sensual whisper. He felt his pulse begin to throb as harshly as war drums. His own pleasure had been put to the side until now. He only hoped that once he was enveloped in her tender heat, he could continue to control himself for as long as possible until she was fulfilled. He cared deeply for her and wanted this night to be the most incredible for her, not frightening and painful. He looked into her eyes and smiled as he leaned down, pressing his lips more firmly against hers. As they remained locked in this heavenly kiss, he pulled her forward and tossed several of the pillows to the side. He kept his face and spirit ontop of hers as he reached down and removed her loincloth. Ursa felt heat wash over her. Under any other circumstance, shame would have jarred her into a fit of tears and screaming, but this was nothing to be ashamed of. It was her duty as a concubine to please him and he was most certainly madly in love with her. He moved away from her and reached down to make sure she was ready for this. Ursa gasped and gave a small cry as he reached his hand down to her forbidden treasure and went inside slightly. She opened further for him, coursing with heat and passion like a rare jungle flower in the mid afternoon; when kissed by the heat of the sun, opening its petals to display the truth of its beauty to the world. She jumped a little. This was not the full effect of what was about to befall her, but it was nothing like she had ever felt before. He removed his hand when he felt the overabundance of sweet honey pouring from her eager hive. He shifted himself and removed the undergarment, allowing his enormity to reach its full potential. Ursa could not see all of this, but could see a small portion of him in the dim candle light. She gasped again, realizing that he was about to fully take her innocence. Never the less, she was ready for him. He carefully pushed her thighs apart and scooted closer to her warm valley. He reached behind her and took hold of the backs of each thigh.

"Don't be afraid, Ursa. I will guide you. I am told there is pain, but the end result is far from unpleasant.", he reassured. Before Ursa could say anything else, he positioned himself in front of her and entered her as cautiously as he could. He moved in a few centimeters and waited. Ursa felt her delicate maidenhead stretch beyond its limits and tear mercilessly. She shrieked a little and arched her back under him. He gripped her thighs and pulled her to him, entering her as far as he dared. Ursa cried out slightly again and writhed a little. He remained motionless, allowing her to make herself comfortable around his glowing blade. After he was sure that she wasn't hurt and she was ready to continue, he moved out of her a little allowing her hips and thighs to relax. He was overwhelmed at how tightly she fit around him. He suddenly thrust forward, a little more harshly and quickly. He pulled her up by her thighs and brought them closer than ever. She moaned and felt another stab of slight pain, but ignored it for the rest of what she was feeling. He continued a steady rythm back and forth, in and out, relaxing and tensing. All the while moving her hips and thighs instructively and getting closer and closer to the edge of her womb. He moved closer to her and leaned over her, releasing her thighs. With one arm, he grasped her around her left side and pulled her chest to him as he lay almost entirely on top of her. With the other, he rested his fingers commandingly over the tiny blossom that initiated her pleasures. She arched her back and began to ready for a most intense climax. He sensed this and thrust further within her. She cried out. Not in pain this time, but in sheer ecstasy.

She looked up at him, demanding him to giver her the release she had kept within herself for all of her girlhood. He leaned forward, kissing her as he stroked the swollen bud. Ursa moaned and gasped even as the two kissed. He leaned back and continued the rythm inside her until he felt all control gone. Ursa felt an enormous storm welling within her with every powerful surge of his manhood. He could feel every ounce of heat in her body swirling around him, carressing his very essence with such wonderful precision. He felt every muscle in his body contract in pure joy as the final surge of his prowess forced into her in one powerful stream.Ursa felt heat and strain in every limb in her body, then a sudden rush of tingling warmth that radiated from the inside of her head all the way down to her feet. It was overwhelming and amazing all at once. Ursa let out a tremendous scream of pleasure and writhed uncontrollably beneath him. Her pleasure had been fulfilled just as he had desired. Both sighed in exhaustion and fell onto one another. Commodus lay breathing heavily beside her, no longer exploring the warm cavern of her female energies. He sighed and pulled her to him, looking down into her eyes. The brilliant green shone up at him with gratitude and fervent desire. She would want him more from now on, and he would want her. He reached both arms behind her back and pulled her to him so that her head lay against his chest. She snuggled up to his chiseled form. He smiled with true delight and kissed the top of her head. "I love you, Ursa Luna.", he said smiling. Ursa smiled back, but closed her eyes and fell into a wonderful sleep. The next day would need to be quiet for her sake, but he had every intention of bringing her before the senate nonetheless. He hadn't taken her to his bed as his concubine, he had just taken a wife. He laid back against the last of the pillows, still holding onto his beloved. He couldn't remember ever feeling so warm, happy, satisfied, and safe in all of his life. Neither could Ursa.

On the other side of Rome, Cicero began to awaken. He looked around and groaned, then gasped as he realized that his sister was gone. He leapt to his feet and went to race towards the palace. Peace on one side of the capital and turmoil on the other made for an interesting change in the atmosphere for all citizens that night even in their dreams


	16. Playing the Game of Blame

Chapter 16: Playing the Game of Blame

Cicero had been unable to make it to the palace. By the time he had run a few feet into the city, he had collapsed from tremendous exhaustion. What was wrong with him? Lucilla had gone back to their home to try and locate him and discover the reason for Ursa's 'escape', but found only the two empty cups beside the wall they had been laying against. She breathed heavily in desperation and then ran to Senator Gaius's home to plead for help. In the meantime, morning broke softly over the skyline of Rome. Citizens were greeted with a tender kiss of warmth as the sky turned blood red with the few rays of the sun that would appear today. Cicero awoke in a bed. He groaned and grasped his head as it burned with sharp pain. He looked around. This was not his home. This was made more obvious when an older woman came into the room and gave a cheerful greeting to him. He shouted in surprise and tumbled off the bed. The woman raced to help him.

"Are you alright?", she asked worriedly. Cicero said nothing, but groaned. Why did this woman have to bellow like an oxen? Her voice was loud enough to wake the dead! In fact, her voice was quite soft to most people, but the draught that Cicero had consumed by mistake had given him the ultimate hangover. He felt his stomach twist and his head spin. The woman forced a cup of something to his mouth and gave him a small drink. He noted the flavour of peppermint and a few other things. The fluid felt so cold going down his throat and into him, it froze everything on the way down. He shuddered for a moment. When the shuddering ceased, he felt no pain in his head or stomach and he felt truly alert. He opened his eyes fully and looked up at the old woman. "That's more like it, my boy."

"Who are you? Where am I?", he asked looking around nervously.

"I am Selena. Woman of this house. You are in Rome, my boy. The capital itself.", she explained. He still looked here and there in total confusion. She smiled. "I found you in the street. It didn't look like you'd been accosted, but you were most definitely unconscious. Are you ill?"

"No. I need to get to the palace. My sister is in danger!", he exclaimed as he got to his feet. He found that his legs were still quite unstable. He shouted as he toppled over. The woman helped him stand and steadied him. Once he was sure he could try and walk, he turned to her. "Thank you for your kindness. I must go quickly."

She nodded and watched him leave hurriedly. Cicero started at a brisk walk, testing his limbs. He found that he could walk a little faster every moment. Finally, he found that he was able to run. He began panting and forcing his body to reach speeds it had never dared before. The wind raced past him as he darted into the palace gates. Cicero had long been a servant of the royal family and was not stopped as he entered. He headed straight for the window he had recently used to speak with Ursa. Surely she would be in the women's quarters. If Commodus treasured his life at all, _she would be there_.

Ursa awoke with a start when she felt someone kiss her softly. Unlike her brother, this person was kissing her jawline. She gasped and jumped, moving slightly away. She focused and gathered her memory. Commodus lay beside her, waiting for her to wake patiently. He smiled at her. She looked at him and smiled back for a moment. It suddenly dawned on the young girl that she had given herself to someone last night. The thought thrilled her for a moment, then she began to frown. Commodus was not her husband. She was simply a slave in the palace now. Cicero had told her that concubines became slaves after they were taken to the emperor. She had lost her freedom and her innocence in one move. Her voice caught in her throat as he reached for her, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her to him. As he reached down to kiss her fully, she moved away and began to shake slightly. He looked down at her.

"Ursa, what is wrong?", he asked sweetly. She looked at him in horror. He stared back in disbelief. "Did I hurt you?"

She burst into tears and began wailing madly. Commodus sat bolt upright and tried to embrace her comfortingly. Ursa forced him away. He watched in confusion as she crawled from the bed, wrapped a linen around her, and hurried out of the room. He tried to call after her. Ursa did not stop or turn around to face him. She simply continued weeping as she fled from his presence. He sat back and stared at the door completely bewildered. As he got out of bed slowly, the door burst open. Quintus entered in a near frenzy. Commodus grabbed his robes and covered himself quickly. Quintus stared at him for a moment, then cleared his throat and bowed.

"I apologize for the intrusion, sire, but a plot against your life has been uncovered. You must come with me as soon as you are decent.", Quintus stated. "We have caught the accused."

Commodus nodded and motioned for Quintus to leave. He dressed within a few mere minutes complete with crown and armour. He wanted desperately to go and see about Ursa, but the matter at hand with the assassin or assassins was far more pressing. He hurried from the room and began to follow Quintus immediately. Waiting in the throne room, in shackles, was senator Gracchus. Commodus gasped at seeing the relatively harmless old man being subdued like this. Near him stood Lucilla, Gaius, and Falco. Falco seemed pleased, but confused. Lucilla seemed to be hiding something, her eyes darting everywhere but still in a glare. Gaius looked very smug and pleased. Commodus approached all of them. He looked at his sister enraged.

"What is the meaning of this?", he demanded. Lucilla looked at her brother firmly.

"He was caught with documents to two other people detailing a plot to have you kidnapped, Caesar.", Gaius explained. Commodus glared at him. He turned back to Lucilla. He couldn't understand this. Wasn't Gracchus one of Lucilla's role models? He motioned for her to speak up. Lucilla coughed and looked down.

"It is as senator Gaius said.", she muttered. "Gracchus planned to have you abducted and then killed."

Commodus turned to Gracchus angrily. The young ruler had no reason to be suspicious of his older sister. After all, she had always looked out for him. He walked over to the old man and glared down at him. Gracchus looked back up at the young man in sheer terror. He knew how much Commodus took the word of his sister. He wasn't sure why Lucilla and Gaius were accusing him of this, he had hoped that they would see reason by the time he had enacted this plan. Commodus snarled and vented all of his confused frustration in one swift hit to Gracchus's head. Gracchus flew a few feet away from the angry young royal. Commodus stood perfectly still for a moment, seething uncontrollably. He breathed heavily. He turned to Quintus and held out his hand. Quintus nodded and withdrew the documents that Lucilla and Gaius had used to blame poor Gracchus. Quintus found it hard to believe that the old fool would do such a thing, but the documents said differently. Commodus cried out in frustration and wadded up the scrolls in his fists. He looked back down at the senator half laying on the floor in front of him.

"Cicero and Maximus is it? That's who you were going to use?", he asked spitefully. He stopped for a moment. "That's why you sent Ursa, you wanted a good look at the inside of the palace!" He threw the scrolls at the old man and shouted again in anger. Gracchus looked away, ashamed. "You used her! She weeps because she gave her innocence to a man that was supposed to die!"

"Actually, sire, I think the little inbreed was sent to distract you.", Gaius added cruelly. Commodus turned to him in pain. The pain turned immediately to anger.

"Silence, Gaius!", he shouted. "You have documentation about the evils of these men, but Ursa Luna remains innocent.", he said loudly. He looked down for a moment. "At least in deed she is innocent.", he whispered. He looked over at Gracchus hatefully. Every ounce of anger he had tried to assuage for politics sake and had only allowed out in small bursts, was welling beyond his control. He walked over to Gracchus.

"Commodus, I never...", Gracchus began. He was cut off by a violent blow to the head from the seething emperor.

"How dare you speak to me with familiarity, treacherous old serpent!", he shouted in tears. He turned to Quintus and composed himself slightly. "It would be a shame for the day to be ruined for Maximus since it will be his last. Leave him unharmed until this evening. As for Cicero, bring him to me alive and relatively unscathed. NOW!"

Quintus bowed and turned to leave. Gaius smiled and left quickly. Falco stood confused for a moment and then walked over to the young ruler.

"Sire, perhaps you should simply be done with the girl as well. If she feels betrayed by you then...", Falco said, but was also cut off. This time, the angry young man had clasped one hand around the senator's throat commandingly. Falco gasped for a moment as Commodus pulled his face to his own.

"Senator, now is not the time for council, am I clear?", he said calmly. Falco nodded as best he could. "Good, then." He threw the old man several feet away from him. Falco stood indignantly and raced out of the room. Lucilla was the only person left in the room with her little brother. Commodus sat down on the throne and leaned to one side. He breathed deeply once before a torrent of sorrow hit him. He began weeping as bitterly as Ursa had done that morning. He looked up at Lucilla for a moment through his tears. Lucilla moved like she had wanted to say something or embrace him, but instead hurried from the room in the same direction as Gaius. Commodus collapsed onto the arm of the throne in sadness. He wished terribly that Ursa were here to comfort him. He had harmed her without knowing as badly as these people had harmed him. Everyone he loved was either turned against him or dead, whether physically or emotionally. He allowed the sorrow and hatred to consume him, their warmth becomming the only comfort that he would allow from now on.

Cicero stood under the window of the women's quarters. He had called to Ursa several times, but had recieved no reply. Finally, a lovely young blonde that looked to be about twice Ursa's age came to the window and looked down at him. She blushed and looked away a little. He cleared his throat and spoke loudly.

"I am looking for my sister, Ursa Luna. Is she there?", he shouted. The girl smiled.

"My name is Callistas.", she replied smiling. He frowned and sighed heavily.

"That's beautiful, is my sister there right now?", he asked a little more frantically.

"I'm older than the emperor, too old for him to enjoy he says.", she replied with a wink. He growled a little and climbed up the side wall a little.

"I'm very impressed, really. Is my sister in here?", he said more vehemetly.

"I like your scars, they're darling.", she said with a wink. Cicero growled and grabbed the girl by the shoulders.

"I don't care about anything else but finding my sister right now!", he shouted. She giggled and gasped playfully.

"Oh my! You're so noble! And so forceful! That's so masculine.", she purred getting closer to his face. He backed away a little, still holding onto her shoulders. "I feel so vulnerable!"

"Gods on high!", he shouted and threw her to the floor. She gave a small playful shout as he hurried past her and began calling for Ursa. As he went further into the women's chambers, ignoring the screams and crying of the women he passed, he began to hear a most familiar sound. It broke his heart into several pieces and set them ablaze with anger. He followed it quickly. It was coming from behind a door near the entrance to the room, and it was definitely Ursa. He tried the handle several times, but the door had been barracaded. He grunted in frustration and pounded on the door. "Ursa? Ursa, it's me, your brother. I've come to take you home. Open the door, we have to leave now!"

As he was able to say the word 'now' two sets of hands siezed him at the arms and began dragging him away. He shouted madly and fought just as violently as his mind was spinning. The guards held onto him as tightly as they could without tearing off a limb. They bound his hands behind his back and dragged him to the prisons. Cicero growled and shouted every insult he had ever heard, been taught, or concocted himself at the emperor. The guards said nothing as they tossed him into a cell and slammed the door shut. Cicero tried to climb up to stand, but only was able after several attempts, to make it to his knees. In every corner of the palace; from the throne room, to the bedchambers, to the outer quarters, to the prisons, there was inhuman weeping.

Night began to fall on the city. Lucilla was sent to tell Maximus that Cicero would be awaiting him at the city gates with horses to help him escape. She had revealed to her brother that she had been forced to be the message carrier between Maximus and Gracchus. Commodus ignored the fact that this was obviously a lie since she claimed earlier in the day to have no part in the plot and simply sent her to inform the gladiator. In the meantime, Cicero was brought from his cell into the emperor's personal quarters. Commodus had tried for the better part of the day to get Ursa to come out of the room and mourn with him for their betrayals. The pleading, shouting, crying, and eventual threatening did him no good whatsoever. All he managed, specifically when the threats began, was to make her weep all the more. He gave up as evening had begun to fall. He left the women's quarters and went back to his own to face her brother. Cicero had been beaten twice by the guards. Once in taking him to the prisons and once in bringing him here. He looked up at the emperor through a few minor wounds. Commodus looked down at him expressionless for a moment. His face suddenly twisted in anger and he threw a harsh blow to the side of Cicero's head. Cicero fell overm, groaning. His vision was completely knocked out of place for a second.

"So no life is so sacred that you would leave it at peace; not your friend!", he struck the young man in the face again after lifting him up; "Not your emperor!", he said punching him in the abdomen. He glared down at Cicero, who stared back in disbelief. Commodus snarled at him. "Not even your sister!", he shouted and kicked him in the side. Cicero lay gasping and coughing in pain. "Any fate is too good for what you've done, traitorous wretch! I don't think even the gods could come up with a punishment to suit you!"

"What are you talking about?", Cicero groaned through gritted teeth. Commodus hit him furiously in the shoulder, sending him back several feet.

"You know very well what I'm talking about! Did you think that I was too young and naive to find out? Did you think it wasn't even the tiniest bit within my comprehension? Ursa's weeping said enough, but then Gracchus gave a full account of the whole thing!", Commodus shouted. Cicero looked up at him in amazement.

"But you've all but stopped the persecutions against them, she didn't think her faith would matter to you.", Cicero groaned. In his mind, it was the little known fact that Ursa was the only Christian member of their cause that was causing the emperor's wrath. There was no other ready explanation. But Commodus had recently ordered their senseless slaughter to stop and that the insubordinate ones be sent to Sardinia in slavery. Why on earth would this upset him? He felt his mind centre itself and common sense return. Of course that didn't matter to him. He had discovered the plot. Lucilla had been right, Ursa revealed it to him in the tenderness they shared and was now weeping for what was about to happen to everyone she had loved. He looked up at the enraged youth before him and began to tremble slightly. "Ursa was innocent, I swear!"

"All the greater the hurt it brings!", he shouted back angrily, backhanding the ex-servant in front of him once more. He stood over the heap of regret that was once Cicero with his fists clenched tightly and called for one of the guards. "Take him to where his master expects him. Set him on the horse with a rope about his neck and keep archers at the ready. He betrayed his family, now let betrayal be his end.", Commodus stated in a low growl. Cicero looked up at him in shock and began to beg, not for his life, but for Ursa's. With every pleading shout the young man gave, Commodus felt the point of a knife burn cruelly into his heart. He sat down on the edge of his bed and began to cry once more, stopping every few moments to throw something and shout at the darkness that was now enveloping him. The guards began to lead Cicero out to the gates of the city. This night would be incredibly dark and stained with the brightest crimson without a miracle.


	17. Mistakes Made in Leisure

Chapter 17: Mistakes Made In Leisure

Ursa peeked out of the door late that night. One of the girls that was still awake turned and looked at her. She smiled at the timid new girl and walked over to her quickly. Ursa wiped her last few tears away and sniffed. She looked up at the much older blonde that stood in front of her.

"Hello. You must be Ursa Luna. Laetus said that you had been with the emperor last night and we're all curious.", the girl said with a wicked smile. "How was he?"

Ursa looked up at her confusedly. "How was he at what?", she asked in a shaking voice.

The girl giggled and put her hand on Ursa's shoulder. "You needn't be coy with me, or any of the rest of us. Was the emperor a gentle lover?", she asked in a whisper. "Or was he forceful and bold?"

Ursa looked away sadly. "I...I... don't remember.", she stammered. The girl giggled and took her by the hand. She led her into the main meeting chamber for the women. Several of them were still awake and talking quietly as some of the candles burned brightly. The girl led her over to a few empty pillows and sat down, motioning for Ursa to do the same. Ursa sat down slowly and looked nervously at the other women. "How was he with all of you?"

Everyone looked at one another and then began laughing. Ursa looked at each of them in confusion. Finally, the blonde put her hand on Ursa's shoulder once more. Before the young girl could explain anything, Quintus entered the room. Everyone became a little quieter and stared at the commander in disbelief. Ursa stood and nodded to him. Quintus looked down at her and frowned a little. She looked at him inquisitively.

"Ursa Luna, does your brother have any property to his name?", he asked in a slightly broken voice. He really hated being the person to deliver this message. Ursa's expression dropped.

"Why do you ask, Quintus?", she asked. He cleared his throat.

"There's a little bit of an incident going on. I'm afraid your brother has been executed.", he said softly. All of the girls gasped a little at the news of a killing in the empire being so close to one of their own. He looked away slightly. "If there's nothing for the guards to aquire then I will be on my way." Ursa stood and stared at him expressionlessly.

"What happened? Why was he executed!? When did this happen!!??", she shouted getting louder with every word. Quintus walked over to her and tried to put a hand on her to calm her. She pulled away angrily. "Who ordered this!!!???"

"Senator Gaius proved with documentation that your brother was an accomplice in a plot against him.", Quintus explained as Ursa began to sway slightly. "Caesar has ordered the execution of everyone involved."

"My brother never plotted to kill him!", Ursa screamed loudly. She panted and leaned forward a little. Quintus moved to catch her, but she stepped backwards and dropped onto the floor. Quintus looked down at her as she began to weep madly. "He killed him because of me!"

"Ursa, I myself read the parchments over twice before presenting them to the emperor.", Quintus argued. "Besides, the execution hasn't truly taken place yet, perhaps Caesar will change his mind after a moment."

Ursa looked up at him infuriated. She jumped to her feet and ran past him into the main part of the palace. She hurried into Tertullian's office and startled the poor scholar near to death. Quintus followed her part of the way, but decided he had best go in and see about the emperor instead. Ursa walked up to Tertullian angrily. He stood and nodded to her. "Tertullian, I know that you are more than familiar with everything in this archive and the signatures of every noble in the capital.", she said between bouts of crying aloud. "I need for you to go and get a parchment from the emperor about a plot that was discovered this afternoon. I need to see this for myself!"

"My girl, if it is in the emperor's possession then I cannot just go and retrieve it.", Tertullian argued. Ursa began to cry loudly. She slunk to the floor. Tertullian raced over to her and took her shoulders in his hands. "Child, what is going on?"

"Commodus is going to have my brother executed because I rejected him this morning.", Ursa wept. Tertullian looked down at her in amazement. He had heard about the emperor's outburst in the senate the previous night. Commodus was prone to bursts of violence from time to time. This was too far. He stood and patted her shoulders.

"Go back to the women's quarters and try and rest. Your brother will be just fine, I promise.", he reassured. Ursa looked up at him desperately and began to protest. He placed his hand over her mouth and repeated his instructions. She finally nodded and left. As Ursa walked down the hallway, Tertullian reached over to the side table and took a large scroll. He rolled it up tightly and walked towards the emperor's bedchamber. Tertullian forced his way into the chamber and stormed over to the desk where Commodus was seated and writing orders for the edict Falco had mentioned days ago. Tertullian said nothing as the emperor looked up at him. He commenced to smacking the young man repeatedly over the head with the scroll. "What is wrong with you, you ungrateful little worm!?"

"Tertullian...stop...what...Tertullian!", Commodus protested as the man continued to thrash him. "Guards!"

Tertullian snarled and went back to the door, slamming it shut. He stormed back over to Commodus as the youth tried to hide behind his bed and calm the angry scholar.

"Get back out here, Commodus or I'll come back there and make you regret surviving your childhood!", Tertullian yelled. Commodus peeked out and looked at the man. "Put down the candlestick, I know you." Tertullian watched as the young man carefully put down the candlestick he had grabbed for protection. He inched out from under the bed. "I have watched you for years denounce the fact that you are anything like your father. You have been very good lately at trying to prove yourself wrong! What on earth has taken hold of you and created this monstrosity!? You have been moody, reclusive, and hurtful to everyone around you that doesn't deserve it!"

"Tertullian, you are out of line! The only actions I have taken today were based on the fidings of my sister and the guards! There was a plot against my life by senator Gracchus and I...", Commodus began. Tertullian walked over and slapped him harshly, sending him to the floor. Commodus looked up at him in total confusion.

"Shut up!", Tertullian yelled. "I am tired of obeying the word of an ignorant little ass! I mean that in the literal sense of the word, Commodus. Let me tell you why. Your sister has been riding you since you were a boy! She and the senate have blinders on you that are preventing you from doing anything beyond their views!" Tertullian glared down at the young man who stood up slowly. "You simply get to all fours and let on the nearest patron while they pull your reigns and take you anywhere they want!"

"Watch yourself, Tertullian! I could have you killed right now!", Commodus yelled defensively. Tertullian walked directly up to the young man and hit him on the side of the head.

"Then do it! Do something that you've decided for once! Personally I am sick and tired of watching you bend over and cart around every tidbit of poor advice you've recieved since you were allowed into power! You swallow every claim that the scheming politicians and your power-hungry sister force into your mouth and vomit them all over the innocent citizens in your service! You make me sick!", Tertullian shouted.

"Power hungry?"

"As if you hadn't noticed how she prods you around like a pup; telling you when to sit, stand, and piss! She has had her eyes on the throne ever since she was born! Her little boy remains undereducated lest in the tragic instance that you befall an accident she gets to warm the crown until he comes of age! She's been thinking about what changes she could make for the empire since before you were concieved!", the scholar chided. "That's not even touching what the senators have been planning."

"It was a senator that was behind the plot in the first place! Gracchus had evidence that...", Tertullian slapped Commodus back into silence.

"You impudent little fool! Gracchus has treated you better than your father! As a matter of fact, a beggar lying in the gutter that spits at you as you pass by would treat you better than your father!", Tertullian said spitefully. Commodus growled and backhanded Tertullian. The two stared at each other in shock for a moment. "Yes! Good! Vent your anger to someone that's actually deserving at the moment! If you want to take it a step further in the right direction you might go and slap your sister silly!"

"Leave her out of this! She hasn't done anything!"

"Exactly! And yet you see no problem with her! She has yet to comfort you in truth, give you any encouragement, or come to your aide when you've been ill! Need I remind you that the recovery of yourself and your brother was in her hands! You were the weak one, you should have died! Yet your brother breathed his last in her presence, not you! Doesn't that strike you as suspicious!?" Tertullian shouted firmly into the enraged youth's face. "You are proving every hateful senator correct and making every citizen wish that Lucilla would take the throne! You're becoming worse than your father! Killing innocent people without rhyme or reason."

"But the document that Gracchus wrote..."

"Let me see it.", Tertullian demanded. Commodus reached over to his desk and picked up the still slightly crumpled document. Tertullian yanked it away from him and stared at it. He looked up at the young despot and frowned. He rolled it up and hit Commodus with it a few more times. "You buffoon! This document is in Gaius's hand! Can't you tell the difference?!"

"No, I can't!", Commodus yelled defensively as he tried to deflect every blow of the scribe's papery blade. "I haven't memorized the hand of every senator!"

"Well maybe you should! Lest you kill any other innocent siblings of your women!", Tertullian shouted. Commodus looked up at him in confusion as the man put the scroll aside. "Ursa is back in the women's quarters bewailing the eventual execution of her brother! Shame on you! I thought that you had made some changes in yourself for the better these past few days! You kept on about how much you wanted to be with this girl and now you're going to take away her only family! You soulless little heel!"

"Ursa knows?", Commodus said in pure terror. She would never speak to him or see him again, possibly even do herself harm! He jumped up and began to run towards the women's quarters. Tertullian put his hand on his chest, stopping him from moving any further. Commodus looked at him inquisitively for a moment, then suddenly realized what he should be doing before trying to comfort Ursa. He looked down at Tertullian for a moment. "I need to speak with Quintus, he needs to get to Cicero before it's too late."

"Good, sire. I'll go back through the documents from the past few months. I'll try and locate the ones that deal with any threats against your life.", Tertullian offered. "Hurry, sire. This is a horrible thing to bear on your conscience."

Commodus pushed Tertullian's hand away from him and hurried to the door. He shouted for Quintus. Quintus, who stood beside the door after the recent attempt on the emperor's life, raced over to him and bowed.

"Quintus, go to the outskirts and stop the archers. Bring Cicero back to me at once!", he said hurriedly. The fact remained that Maximus still wanted the emperor dead. He took Quintus by the arm for a moment. "Take Maximus to the prisons. Arrest all of the senators that were at the palace this morning and quarter off my sister."

"Yes, Caesar.", Quintus said quickly and turned to leave immediately.

As Lucilla allowed Maximus out of his cell, she watched carefully and felt horrible about every action she had taken in the past week. She began to weep softly. The guards that had waited patiently for her motioned for her to accompany them back to the palace. Lucilla felt the weight of innocent blood on her, the ache was almost unbearable. The thought of her son's life being at stake somehow made it seem a little more easy on the surface. She only hoped that she would be able to take Lucius and leave before her brother fell to senator Gaius's evil. Maximus slipped out of the gates of the gladiator school towards the city gates. As he inched closer, he recognized the form of Cicero on one of the horses. He smiled and ran to the manservant that had proved loyalty and love to him repeatedly. Cicero turned.

"Maximus! No!", he yelled. Maximus froze as Cicero's horse bolted out from under him and several archers appeared around them. They fired at the two men all at once. Maximus shouted in anger as the arrows reached Cicero.


	18. Angst Transitions

Chapter 18: Angst Transitions

Arrows flew through the air towards Maximus and Cicero. Cicero hung momentarily, gasping for breath by the rope that was still attatched to the tree. As Maximus reached him, a stray arrow from a young archer swept through the rope, cleaving it in two and allowing Cicero a breath of life before toppling onto Maximus. The archers closed in, ready to fire a second round on the two men. Quintus and his men arrived in a full gallop atop five horses to the scene.

"Cease fire! By order of the emperor!", Quintus shouted. The archers obeyed immediately. Maximus was kneeling over Cicero, looking him over and making sure that his friend would survive. Cicero had taken a second arrow to his shoulder, but the wound seemed fairly superficial. He looked up towards Quintus and balled his hands into fists. Quintus dismounted and began to shout more orders to the men. "Take the wounded to the palace, arrest the gladiator!"

Maximus growled and began to fight madly with the men that surrounded both he and Cicero. The men finally managed to subdue the enormous Spaniard and cart Cicero, half-conscious from pain and shock, back to the horses. Quintus climbed onto his steed and took Cicero from his men. Maximus watched in rage as the commander rode away with the young man. He fought back tears of anger and sadness. He could only imagine the torment that was about to be visited on the poor boy now that he had fulfilled the purpose Commodus had set out for him, the purpose being to trap Maximus. He felt an even greater wave of sorrow at the thought of what poor Ursa was suffering being enslaved by the brute. He continued to fight with his captors until the dragged him into the prisons and chained him to the walls. As the soldiers left the room, Maximus screamed loudly to the sky. Again, he had been unable to protect those that he loved.

Quintus arrived back at the palace steps not a moment too soon. Galen was waiting out in the front for him after having stablized senator Gracchus. Gracchus had been beated by the guards that took him to a cell unmercifully. He would survive, but with considerable damage done to him. Galen frowned as Quintus helped bring him inside with another guard.

"Is this the last victim of Commodus's wrath?", Galen asked softly.

He had been asked by the terrified ruler to see to Ursa as well, but she refused to allow anyone in to see her. Galen didn't know exactly how to feel about the whole thing. Commodus was not an evil person, he was explosive, but not deliberately evil. Perhaps seeing the people that had suffered at his hand directly would be enough to make him want to control himself from now on. Galen walked into the palace infirmary with Quintus and began to see to the wounded servant at once. The wound was definitely superficial, but it looked very nasty. He cleaned the wound around the arrow, gripping the shaft of the arrow, then with one deep breath yanked upward. Quintus covered Cicero's mouth as he screamed in pain. The scream reached the other side of the palace where Commodus was comforting Lucius. Lucius had awakened with a terrible dream, but because of Lucilla being quarantined, he was refused her minimal comfort. The boy had begun wailing, so his uncle came to seek comfort for both of them. He seemed to find a measure of peace and solace around the child. The two looked towards the door in fear as the scream pierced the calmer atmosphere. Lucius looked up at his uncle with a blank expression and widened eyes. Commodus placed his arm around the boy.

"Who is that, Uncle?", Lucius asked softly.

"A young man, Lucius, that's all.", he replied.

"What happened to him?", Lucius said feeling more tears in his eyes. Commodus pulled the boy close to him, setting the scroll they had been reading to the side. He embraced the child as tightly as he wished anyone would have done for him as a boy.

"A cruel injustice, Lucius. Sometimes when you wear the crown in anger, it shuts out the clarity of your judgements. You must be very careful that it never happens to you, or at least that it doesn't happen very often. People, innocent people, get hurt. Terribly hurt.", Commodus said. He fought away his own sadness in the resolve that he needed to appear strong for his nephew. In a sense, it was the need to be strong and calm for the boy that spurred the young emperor into being more kind and wise. He sighed and kissed the boy's forehead softly. "I did something very wrong, Lucius. I need to go and make it right."

Lucius nodded. He held tightly to his only ready source of comfort a moment longer. "It'a alright uncle, I still love you.", he breathed quietly.

Commodus clutched the child tightly to him, trying desperately to allow what had been said to him to become the only reality for the moment. His conscience tugged at his heart until he set the boy back into his bed and slipped out of the room. He walked into the infirmary quietly. Quintus turned to him and bowed immediately. Commodus nodded to him and looked over at senator Gracchus. He was bruised badly, but sleeping soundly. He sighed and looked towards Cicero. He was still under Galen's care for the moment, the old healer was binding the wound on his shoulder carefully. Commodus walked over slowly and sat down near the bed. Cicero turned his head and looked over at him, he seemed to have been crying for the better part of the evening, as had most of the people in the palace. Commodus cleared his throat and looked away slightly. Cicero reached his hand out towards him. Commodus noticed it immediately and took it carefully. Cicero squeezed the young emperor's hand as Galen administered more of a cleanser to the still bleeding wound. Commodus inched closer to him and looked down.

"I do not know if there was ever an active want on your part to have me killed; I do know it was true of Maximus. My scholar tells me that Gaius and my sister may be trying to frame the people that would save me if I needed aide in the case of an assassin. Which do you say is true?", he asked slowly and carefully. Cicero scooted up a little, painfully, and against Galen's requests. He looked up at the young man and sighed.

"I do what I feel is right to do. My sister does what she knows is right to do. Murder is never right. It never feels right even if the person is an evil tyrant, Caesar. I admit that our cause was led by a certain trio that were out to remove you from the throne, but I don't think any of them truly sought to kill you.", he explained in a weak voice.

"Who are the three you speak of? And be honest.", Commodus said in an urgent whisper. Cicero motioned for him to lean closer. Commodus obliged and listened carefully.

"Gracchus, Gaius, and Lady Lucilla.", Cicero said softly. Commodus felt his stomach drop onto the floor with a sickening thud. He gasped and held his head for a moment. "Gracchus would have had you relocated to live out the rest of your life under a new identity. I am not sure of the other two."

"You're lying, Cicero.", a voice from behind the two said loudly. Everyone turned. In the doorway, stood Ursa. She was dressed in her former clothing and looking very calm. She strode over to them. "I heard the four of you talking the other night. I didn't want to believe it was true, but I realize it is."

"Ursa.", Commodus breathed and stood to embrace her. She pushed him away forcefully and looked down at her brother. He looked back at her for a moment. She knelt beside the bed and took hold of the hand that Commodus had been holding. She pulled it to her face and touched it to her cheek after kissing it. He looked back at her and smiled.

"When this is over, I will go home with you.", she whispered. The emperor's hearing was still keen enough to hear it. She leaned forward and kissed his head tenderly. "Now, tell him what Lucilla and Gaius said."

"They said that he must die.", Cicero breathed slowly. Commodus came closer and looked down at him in disbelief.

"Who? Why?", he stammered.

"You, you wield unlimited power without vision and guidance.", Cicero said before turning to face Ursa fully. "I am tired, little bear. You should rest as well."

She nodded and leaned onto the bed. Galen finished binding the rest of the treated wound. He walked over to Commodus and spoke softly. "He will recover quickly if all goes well. The wound was quite a bit on the surface by comparison to the others I have treated. Still, he did lose quite a bit of blood in the process.", he explained. "Keep a good watch on him throughout the night and I will see to him in the morning."

"And what of senator Gracchus?", Commodus asked sadly. Galen smiled.

"He was beaten thoroughly, but not even close to within an inch of his life. He will heal soon enough, but carry a few marks on his body for a little while.", Galen said with a slight laugh. "It seems the old rogue had more strength and determination than this young man did."

Commodus nodded quickly and turned back to Ursa. He knelt beside her. She turned away, shame finally crossing her face. He frowned and touched her shoulder, taking some of her hair in his hand. He caressed it for a moment, the brushed it aside and stroked the side of her face.

"I never meant harm to you, Ursa. I love you.", he said softly as he neared his face to hers. She breathed sharply and turned to him a little.

"I love you, Commodus. But I made a mistake last night. I know I will be forgiven, but it tastes foul in my soul just now.", she explained. He stared at her, then took her chin and forced her to face him. The two remained suspended in time and space for a moment, their lips a dangerous centimeter apart from one another and definitely parted at the ready. Ursa suddenly looked down, then away. Commodus remained where he was for a brief second then sighed and reached forward, kissing the top of her head. "I will go back to my quarters in the morning."

"You told your brother you would go home with him. I would not see you break your word to him.", Commodus said sadly. "He would have died for you."

"I know. He almost died for you.", she said. He turned to her in amazement. She looked up at him long enough to see that he had a question for her to answer. She looked back at her brother, who was slipping into a sound sleep. "That night that I told Quintus of the assassins, Cicero had listened to them and managed to sneak over to your window to tell you, but I was there so he told me."

"Truly?", he asked in a stunned whisper. She nodded, then laid her head against his chest. She began to drift away as well. Commodus thougt about this for a moment. What else had happened in the palace that he wasn't aware of? He needed to consult Tertullian, then decide on the fate that would be laid before Maximus. A disturbed sleep settled over everyone in the empire. The sun would rise again for them all, but to what end?


	19. The Discovery Ends and The Battle Begins

Chapter 19: Discovery Ends and The Battle Begins

Commodus and Tertullian stayed awake for the better part of the night. The two worked feverishly trying to find every document detailing findings of any plots against the royal family, specifically him. Commodus was extremely disheartened to find that there were some one hundred and eleven such documents for him alone that had yet to be filed in the permanent archives. He frowned. Ursa had been wrong; the people didn't love him. He sighed heavily and looked through them all the way back to the beginning of his reign. He opened one of the scrolls from the first month he was Caesar and opened it. Tertullian peered over the young man's shoulder and frowned a little.

"Hmm, it appears you signed that document, but you didn't write it.", he commented.

"It was the last document my father had written. I never looked at it to see what it was, but I didn't think it was anything too dangerous or important. He was dying, after all.", Commodus said as he began to read over it. The first three paragraphs were always the same in these orders and detailed why the current Caesar had the authority to take this action.

'In the interest of the New Order of Rome; I, Marcus Aurelius, hereby transfer all my power and duty to my successor and friend Maximus Decimus Meridias in the hope that he will in turn transfer said power to the senate. The New Republic of Rome will be ruled only by senate, never monarchy.'

Commodus growled a little at this. Even after his death the old fool was still reminding Commodus of how much he wasn't wanted and never would be. He read further out of human curiosity.

'In the event that Maximus should refuse the position I have asked of him, I hereby decree that all obstacles in his life that cause said refusal to be removed at once. Maximus will have power over Rome, no matter the cost. Destruction of obstacles include, but are not limited to; properties, livestock, servants, and family. In the even that he falls ill and cannot take the the throne, I hereby decree that he shall be under the exclusive care of Galen of Pergamum. Should anyone contest the claim that I have set before Maximus, that man should be torn apart at every limb. This is my word and law. Long live The New Republic of Rome.'

Commodus shook terribly as he read this. Had Maximus known all along about this? If so, then why hadn't he demanded that the order for the contestant to the throne (namely Commodus himself) to be killed as Marcus had wanted? He set the document down carefully and looked over at Tertullian. Tertullian shook his head. The emperor cleared his throat and began to sift through more of the documents, still holding onto the lunatic's decree that he had read not but a moment ago.

"What are you looking for now, sire? We've found every document detailing assassination attempts on your family.", Tertullian said as he stood beside the young man.

"Yes, but what about assassinations that were carried out against another family.", he muttered softly. Tertullian looked at him inquisitively, but Commodus didn't look up towards the scribe once. "Where are the scrolls for Praetorian activity from Germania?"

"Here, sire. I had only just finished making copies of them all. Honestly, it's too much for one man to copy every tidbit of paperwork and then file it away in the permanent archives. You might think about teaching the concubines you're not using to read and write so I'll have some help.", Tertullian said with a laugh. Commodus remained emotionless as he took the stack from Tertullian. Luckily, he had kept them in chronological order, and the ones that were taken from the very end of the excursion just when his father had died, were towards the top. He read through the orders to destroy the Germanian outpost and remove permanent troops from the area that he himself had decreed. That wasn't important. He studied several scrolls until stopping dead at one of them. Tertullian noticed this and stared at his ruler with concern. The boy's face had turned very pale and he was trembling as if being confronted by a phantom of his own sins against a dear friend.

"I signed this, as well.", Commodus whispered. Tertullian moved the scroll so that he could look at it more closely. He studied it carefully for a moment.

"Yes, but you didn't write this one either. Perhaps you might think of writing your own edicts from time to time or at least reading over all that's laid before you more carefully.", Tertullian offered. "This is also Gaius's hand, but it was done in your name. When did you make this order? After reading the parchment you're holding now?"

"**I **_**never**_** gave this order**!", Commodus shouted madly at the scholar. Tertullian backed away. Commodus was trembling like a terrified child and beginning to cough a little. This was always a sure sign of distress for the young man. Since surviving the plague as a boy, he had been cursed with lungs that were somewhat emotional. Galen had said that heartache, passion, sorrow, and even cold were deadly for the prince. He had advised Marcus not to send for him in Germania, lest he lose his only surviving son to the chill. Commodus looked down at the order. The document was the action that had been mentioned in Marcus's treacherous scroll. Commodus felt his heart tear into hundreds more pieces at reading it. Marcus had wanted Maximus to be free of any reason to not take the throne, he had wanted his past life wiped away save for his activities as a soldier in the legions. It was as if he wanted Maximus to have only the life that he deemed best for him.

Commodus fell forward slightly, feeling his head spinning with emotion. Tertullian moved forward to help him and allowed him to lean on him for a few moments. Marcus had ordered the death of his servants, animals, wife, and child. He had ordered the destruction of any properties that Maximus had aquired in the service of the empire. Worst, he expected Maximus to sacrifice his freedom and peace of mind in sitting on the throne for even a day. The old man was more than a lunatic, he was a soulless monster. Commodus clenched both scrolls tightly, one in each fist. Gaius had ordered that the rest of the scroll be carried out. It had to have been him behind all of this today. He had read the scroll that Marcus had set out, but how? Not even Commodus, who had tried desperately to talk with his father that night and tell him all of what had weighed on his and Lucilla's hearts for months, but the old man was more interested in giving a long speech about how terribly remorseful he was for having raised only a mourning daughter and a callow excuse for a boy.

_"Your faults as a son is my failure as a father. How I lament my many failures, Commodus.", _Marcus had said before trying to embrace the boy. Commodus couldn't understand how on earth his father had expected him to be tender towards him after a comment like that! It cut deeper than any blade and burned more cruelly than any torture. After that, he had stormed out of his tent and demanded the new recruits awake and spar with him. Physical exertion always calmed him. It was a better outlet than brutalizing a servant which, he was sorry to admit to himself, he had done in times past. Indeed the boy's temper had not helped his case when it came to the other courtiers and servants, but the majority understood his rage and shrugged it away as either adolescant passions still coursing through him, or the hurts he had suffered as a child still haunting him. He looked down at the scroll once more.

"But I signed it.", he muttered again. Tertullian frowned and put a hand on the youth's shoulder, comfortingly.

"You cannot blame yourself for this, Commodus. You weren't thinking. You were mourning the loss of your father.",Tertullian comforted. Commodus shook his head.

"No, Tertullian. I had nothing to mourn. I have been angry, so very angry that there has been nothing to mourn. I knew up to that very night I would not mourn the loss of my father; I sorrow for the lack thereof. I never knew the warm embrace of a father, my father never taught me to ride a horse or wield a sword or write my name. My father never told me boring stories about his exploits in times past. He never broke down into tears because of a disappointment I had displayed towards the hopes he had for me, he never had hope for me.", Commodus said softly as he sat down in the chair nearest him. Tertullian frowned. What could be said to this young ruler to comfort him that hadn't already been said by someone else in years gone by. "I should not be here. I deserve to die. If nothing else for the idiocy I have created in allowing my father's blood to continue on the throne."

"How can you say that? His blood is in your veins, not your spirit, my boy. You may bear his name, but you needn't bear his image. You've already proven that. Look around you, Rome was supposed to war against Dacia in a few months, that was his plan. You have stemmed off any violence in the provinces and even increased our ties to Germania, Dacia, and Brittania.", Tertullian said with admiration. "You've done some foolish things, no doubt, but so has every person that has ever walked this earth. No one is without fault for something, Commodus. We should simply be most cautious about what we allow to be put against our name since there will be several in our lifetime."

Commodus looked over at him and nodded. "What should I do? Rome cannot be a republic. The senate is mucking things up as it is, can you imagine if people like Gaius and Falco ruled all of the empire?"

Tertullian shuddered. Gaius was foul enough, but Falco was without redeeming qualities of any kind. Not even his physical appearance made him worth having in the senate. He took the documents out of the emperor's hands and set them on the desk.

"You should go and sleep for now, sire. Tomorrow is already filled with hardships from these past few months.", Tertullian said as he placed both his hands on Commodus's shoulders.

The young man stood and began to walk towards his bedchamber silently. He felt the guilt of his father's cruelty wearing on him like a yoke about his neck. He walked slowly and emotionlessly to his bed and collapsed on it. Maximus had every right to hate him, he was resopnsible for a child's blood. The though of being guilty of innocent blood was enough to turn a hardened general's stomach into a raging storm of pain and nausea, but to think that the innocent was a child was worse. He laid his head against the pillows at the back and cried softly. He had thought about how best to deal with Maximus while in the archives. The thought of making the brute fight the emperor he was so adamantly defying in the arena came to settle on his mind. He couldn't do that. Maximus shouldn't have even been in the arena. He sat bolt upright. Maximus had been furious with him in Germania and had supposedly deserted the regiments after refusing the young Caear's hand in friendship. Firstly, why had Maximus refused his hand other than the obvious wanting to get home to his family? Second, why had he repeatedly brought up his father's death to him and referred to it as a murder when confronted?

He stood and began to pace. The two finally clicked. Maximus had indeed refused Marcus's request for the Spaniard to assume leadership, but was in agreement with him that the heir to the throne shouldn't take it. The reasons for that were somewhat personal, but Commodus expected that, after he had beaten the older man in a fight when Maximus had made a snyde remark about Lucilla. Maximus somehow felt that in lieu of not recieving the throne, Commodus had lashed out in an ultimate act of violence against his father and killed him. Anyone who knew Commodus intimately, which was only a very select few, knew that he was what Gracchus called 'a whole lot of thunder and not much of a storm'. This meaning that while Commodus was incredibly tempermental and explosive at times, he rarely caused more than superficial damage if causing damage at all.

The worst he could remeber doing was slapping a servant girl so hard that she had bruised terribly for weeks. He had tried in secret to make sure that she was alright and make ammends, but had been far too embarrassed to apologize in person. Commodus was capable of many things fair and foul, but certainly not murder. Maximus would want him dead if he continued to think this, regardless of the young Caesar's claims to the truth. He knew what he had to do. Maximus deserved to know the truth, and he himself deserved to die. In his father's absence, his blood would pay for the blood of poor Selene and Jarius. The woman and child had been terribly wronged, but at least they could no longer be harmed by the stupidity of politicians without restraints. He sighed and sat down at his desk, sifting through a few of the documents he had yet to sign. Morning would arrive soon enough, and then it would all be ended.

The sun wrapped its celestial fingers around the horizon over the capital and lifted the curtain of night. The brilliant rays revealed an array of blues, oranges, and soft pinks. Commodus looked out his window. His eyes were darkened and heavy from lack of sleep as of late. He sighed and took one last look at the magnificence of the capital. He hoped that Maximus, while he had been favoured by his father, would not repeat the old fool's mistakes. The weight of the crown was too much for him to bear anymore, perhaps it always was. He gathered his thoughts and then went to the door, giving orders that detailed what was to be done with Maximus. After the guards left the room, he walked over to his wardrobe and stared at a unifrom of white. It looked like marble, grand and timeless. This would be fitting for the occasion. He dressed slowly and then left the room.

In the cells below the arena, Maximus stood waiting for the end of this whole matter to come at last. His arms were chained to the sides, above his head. He was satisfied in knowing that Cicero was alive, and that the cunning lad and Ursa were sure to escape and get the little stoat off the throne once and for all. He tensed as the doors to the entrance opened and allowed in the young emperor, dressed in perfect armour and ablaze with determination. He looked up towards the cieling and breathed deeply. The crowds that had already gathered at the colosseum shouted furiously for Maximus. Commodus looked at him directly, standing only three feet away from him.

"They call for you. Do you hear them? They wish to see the wonder of your talents over and over again. The general who became a slave, the slave who became a gladiator, the gladiator who defied his emperor.", Commodus said. To anyone around him, the last few words would seem to have been said in sheer malcontent, but again those small few that knew the young man well knew that he was hiding an enormity of sorrows. "It's a sriking story, really. One that will live for centuries, I am sure. But first, it must end. And what end could be more glorious, than to face the emperor himself in the great arena?"

"You would fight me?", Maximus asked in confusion.

"Why wouldn't I? Do you think that I am frightened of you magnificent prowess?", Commodus asked, this time getting close to the man's face and definitely showing anger alongside the sorrow. Maximus glared into the young man's eyes.

"I think you are frightened of your own magnificent weakness.", he retorted.

"Unlike Maximus the invincible, who is without blemish or fear?", Commodus spat back angrily. Maximus chuckled.

"A friend once told me that death smiles at us all, all we can do is smile back.", Maximus said clamly.

"Then I wonder, did that selfsame friend smile at his own death?", Commodus said taking Maximus's chin in his hand harshly.

Maximus focused on the furious young man before him. "You should know, Commodus. He was your father until patricide removed him from his place in the world that still needed him."

Commodus tensed incredibly. He resisted every urge to beat the gladiator within an inch of his life. Instead he trembled as he looked into Maximus's eyes.

"A world that needed him, or just a man?", he retorted. "You loved my father, I know this. I loved him, too. By love we are brothers, aren't we?" Maximus glared at him hatefully. Commodus stood in front of him, simply trembling like a leaf for a few moments. He looked down, breathing sharply, then raised his head slowly to face Maximus. He opened his mouth to say something else, but instead lost all control. He fell onto the man, weeping loudly. "What have I done? Why couldn't I have been born of another family? Why should I suffer this fate? I am so alone!"

Maximus held still. The poor boy was obviously in the final stages of losing his mind. Commodus composed himself slightly and then moved back a little, still holding onto Maximus's head with both hands and looking deeply into the slave's eyes for somekind of pity or comfort. No such luck on either account. He sighed and turned away.

"Give him his armour. Remember my orders. After the battle, he will have what he has deserved for some months now.", Commodus said sadly. Maximus, or course, thought that the youth was referring to a desire for him to have been dead ever since he refused his hand. Commodus, on the other hand, meant that Maximus would be given the scrolls detailing what had transpired at the end of the reign of his father... in the event of the new emperor's death. The two men climbed onto the platform with a large troop of Praetorians surrounding them as they ascended into the arean itself. Commodus smiled as he felt the sun's warm light across his face. If eternity was even a fraction better than the worst day at the palace, then it would be worth it to go. The ground was littered with millions of rose petals. While Commodus felt he deserved to be killed, he also felt it highly inappropriate for commoners to see royal blood on the sands of the colosseum. The Praetorians parted, leaving the two to fight one another. Maximus was feeling a little cofused. He still wanted the little weasel to die, but what had sparked this sudden outburst of remorse? He cleared his mind as he raised his sword. To his dismay, he found he could not get the question out of his head. He began to swing at the young emperor. Commodus made a slight movement backwards, but it was obvious that he was not trying hard at all to best the Spaniard. After five minutes of this, Maximus stopped and looked directly at the young man. Commodus was now covered on his arms, legs, and twice on his face with superficial cuts and bruises. Maximus stared at him in disbelief.

"What's wrong with you, you fool? Why aren't you trying to kill me? You know what I can do to you!", Maximus exclaimed angrily.

"Do it. I hardly think I would be undeserving of it.", he said sadly. Maximus stared at him in shock for a moment. Commodus suddenly threw down his sword and knelt in front of Maximus. "Do it, just be done with it." Maximus frowned. Something wasn't right here. He drew in a deep breath and lifted his sword over the young emperor's neck.


	20. Loyalty Is Futile

Chapter 20: Loyalty is Futile

Before Commodus had walked out to the colosseum, Cicero had awakened with Ursa beside him. Ursa had managed to fall sound asleep with her head on his cot. He awoke with slight shout of pain when he tried to roll to one side. Ursa umped awake as well. She yawned and stretched before putting a hand on his shoulder. He winced. She removed her hand and smiled at him.

"Are you feeling better?", she asked.

"A little. The pain is tolerable for the moment. It'll be more tolerable when we're free of this putrid hovel and the asenine little whelp running it.", Cicero muttered.

"Cicero!", Ursa shouted. He turned to her. She looked down and then away slightly. "You shouldn't speak about Caesar in such words."

"You still feel tenderly for him. After everything that's happened you still...", he began. Ursa looked up angrily and cut him off immediately.

"It wasn't his fault!", Ursa shouted. Cicero looked at her in surprise. "He has been feeling threatened and upset for days. I should have told you everything that I had seen. Commodus kept going off into the archives to lament for his father and the hardships he has faced on the throne. I comforted him as best as I knew how, and I think he loved me to some degree. He feels so abandoned, Cicero."

Gracchus, who had been awake but listening quietly felt his heart shatter for the poor young man forced under the weight of the crown.

"Feeling abandoned is nothing new to anyone, Ursa. I've felt abandoned for years. You have to, you know you have.", Cicero argued.

"Not to this extent. I didn't know mother and father at all. I had you, you are my world.", Ursa said softly. "Commodus has been expected to act as an adult since he was a little boy. Do you know anything about his past? He had a twin, they both needed a surgery, but when the two were recovering the other died. Commodus woke up in the room they shared only to find that a part of him had died. He didn't get to bury him or say goodbye. Then two years later he's attacked by that dog and his mother dies. And then two years after that he was attacked by an assassin in the middle of the night. He's been hurt so badly, Cicero."

"That doesn't excuse him ordering the arrests and executions of hundreds of innocent people, taxing struggling citizens into the prisons, and giving in to the demands of our rivals beyond the provinces.", Cicero replied. "He was going to kill me!"

"Why? What was the finalized fact that made him want to have you executed?", she countered.

"He didn't need a reason, Ursa!"

"Cicero, he thought that you were trying to kill him!", Ursa said back loudly. "And what did he mean that you would have died for me?"

Cicero looked away and sighed heavily. "Before he gave the order to have me (ahem) executed, he gave me a dressing down about how I had betrayed you and that betrayal would be my end. He seemed to think that we had sent you here to distract him while we tried to have him offed."

"That was your goal!", Ursa reminded angrily. "At least it became the goal after Lucilla started attending to the cause regularly. Frustrated or not with her brother, she is being evil. Murder is murder, Cicero. You've said so yourself on numerous occasions. Nothing he has done could warrant being killed in his sleep."

"So you don't believe in executions now?"

"Of course, but only after a jury or another authority gives the command.", Ursa explained. "And don't start in with me about how that in the absence of proper authority the people need to sieze control. That's not the case right now. He's only been Caesar for six months. The taxes he passed pay for subsidizing a plethora of programs; education, medicine, housing, and the games. I don't like the idea of my taxes paying for the senseless slaughter, I suppose he could do worse. And the documents I brought prove that he was not the person responsible for writing the edicts for arrests and executions. Furthermore, the lands beyond our provinces have more respect for us than ever now that Commodus has given them quite a bit of their land back."

"Ursa, Those things don't change what he did to Maximus and his family.", Cicero said in a stern, but sensitive tone. "You haven't found proof that he's innocent of their blood."

"Then let's go and consult Tertullian, then. He keeps up with all of the documents before a second copy is made. He's been backed up back to the beginning of Commodus's reign. We shouldn't have much trouble finding it.", Ursa offered. "Are you able to walk? Galen said the wound was on the surface for the most part. Are you strong enough to come with me?"

Cicero nodded. He removed the blanket and climbed out of the bed. The two looked over at Gracchus for a moment and noticed that he still looked fast asleep. They said nothing to the old man and headed out of the infirmary before Galen could stop them. The guards had been ordered to keep the two of them inside the palace; but they, specifically Ursa, had free run of the palace not including the private quarters. Commodus didn't want Ursa to panic again or Cicero to become violent and feeling confined would do that to anyone. Ursa led the way to Tertullian's office. Cicero was able to keep up, but only just. Ursa was able to walk a little slowly for him, but she truly wanted to prove Commodus's innocence quickly. She didn't want to be connected to him, but she felt responsible for his repuatation after the mission she had been sent to complete. Ursa rubbed her shoulders pensively as they walked. She had given herself to a man that would be through with her within a few weeks. Commodus might have felt tenderly for her, but the fact remained that he was emperor and had fluctuated in his feelings for her several times throughout the past week. Ursa was unfortunately a little more immature in matters of human emotion. She truly loved the emperor, but she now felt after seeing just how many women he kept with him that he wouldn't commit to one woman with tenderness for very long at all. She had to ignore any feeling for him and go back to her brother. Cicero had given up so much for her and would have no one to take care of him in the years to come. She had to be there for him as he had for her. Cicero simply found it a relief that she seemed to have dropped any warmth for him.

The two walked into Tertullian's office and looked around. Tertullian looked up at the two and breathed a heavy sigh of relief. He stood and nodded to them.

"I am so relieved to see that you two are well. I see the archers were stopped just in time.", Tertullian said smiling. Cicero rubbed the rope burn on his neck gingerly. The archers were stopped just in time. He sighed and walked beside Ursa as she approached the old scholar.

'Tertullian, we need to see the documents dating back to when Commodus first assumed the throne.", Ursa said softly. The scribe raised his brow slightly. "That is, if it's appropriate."

"I suppose I could. Caesar and I were up for the better part of the night going through them. We found some very disturbing records including one that detailed Marcus Aurelius giving an order to have The Spaniard Maximus's family killed. Apparently, Marcus wanted Maximus to take the throne instead of Commodus.", Tertullian said. "It's sad really. Even after the man died he still seems to be making the boy's life miserable."

Cicero and Ursa looked at one another in amazement. Cicero turned back to Tertullian quickly.

"You have documentation of this? Irrefutable evidence?", Ursa asked.

"Of course. I hadn't even heard they were dead, I heard that he deserted the legions in Germania and went on a rampage until he was captured in one of the provinces.", Tertullian said looking at the two of them inquisitively. "Then again, stories like that are often spread without anything to back them up. Fortunately for me, I have the opportunity to prove everything I say."

Cicero looked down at Ursa in slight shame. She smiled back up at him with her momentary triumph glowing in her eyes. Cicero cleared his throat.

"Where is the emperor now?", he asked. Tertullian looked at him in confusion.

"You haven't heard? He and Maximus are to fight to the death in the arena.", Tertullian explained. Ursa let out a tiny shriek at the thought of Commodus being dispatched mercilessly. Even though his body was testimony to the fact that the young monarch was a capable fighter, Maximus was bigger and more experienced in combat. Cicero could clearly see the worry in his baby sister's face. He took hold of her shoulders and spoke quietly to her.

"Stay here. I'm going to go and talk to Maximus.", Cicero instructed.

"I doubt that the Praetorians would allow you out of the palace after you were accused of treason.", Ursa argued.

"I can get past them. It shouldn't be too difficult since you'll be shouting at them that an attacker ran away from where I am headed. Once they're distracted, I'll put as much of a stop to this as I can.", Cicero said kissing her forehead gently. "Now go out into the hall and get to it."

Ursa nodded and immediately ran out of the room. The Praetorians watched as she began screaming. "Assassin! Guards! A murderer is on the loose and he just ran that way!", she shouted akwardly. They stared at her in confusion. She stared back in frustration. Then again, even she had to admit that the palace guards had probably been tricked by this maneuver many times before. She heaved a sigh and went back into the archives. After a moment, she appeared in the hallway and smiled. She and Cicero walked down the halls and into the women's quarters. Cicero managed to get past the women without any trouble as Ursa led the way over to the secret passage. The part of the palace that the other door led to was free of any guards that had been ordered to keep an eye on the two siblings. She wished her brother luck and watched him leave through the door at the top of the stairs. None of the guards noticed as Cicero walked through the door and strode down the hallway. He was glad that his life didn't rest in the hands of these men. It was hard to see how Commodus had managed to elude the few attempts that had been made on his life with slackers like these. Cicero hurried out of the palace and found the quickest route to the colosseum.

As he arrived, he heard the shouts and cries of the thousands of patrons that called for bloodshed. He raced into the stands and ran to the edge. He ignored the comments, insults, and threats as he looked over the edge of the wall. Commodus dropped to his knees as Maximus raised his sword and readied to deliver a deathblow. Cicero felt his heart stop. If Commodus died, Ursa would be heartbroken for eternity. Not to mention that Cicero felt partially responsible for this. He should never have remained involved in the cause after discovering that the majority of them wanted to assassinate the emperor. He should never have agreed to allow Ursa to be given to the emperor in the first place. Now was not the time for regret. He had to stop this before it was too late. He looked at the crowd around him. There was only one way to ensure that Maximus would hear him and be forced to comply with not ending Commodus. He put his hand out in a fist, slamming it down on the marble repeatedly.

"Live, live, live, live!", he shouted. The rest of the crowd around him began to join in. The stands came to life with patriotic citizens shouting for the sparing of thier emperor's life. Most of them gave the symbolic thumb's up to Maximus, who simply stared back in disbelief. He noticed Cicero among them and glared inuisitively at him. Cicero continued his chant. "Live, live, live, live!"

Maximus looked down at Commodus. The young ruler looked down at the sands and remained unmoving. Maximus sighed heavily. If Cicero was all for keeping him alive, then there had to be a good reason. He sighed and spoke as loudly as he could to the troubled monarch.

"Caesar, don't you hear them?", he asked. Commodus looked up at him for a moment. "I can't do this here. I want you dead, there's no doubt about that, but your people would never stand to see you done away with. At least not while Cicero is able to get into the crowd."

Commodus looked up. His eyes filled with awe and wonder. He stood slowly, turning and gazing at all of the patrons that cheered for his life. They wanted him to live. He breathed sharply and swayed a little. Maximus caught him by the arm and threw down his sword. The crowd roared with applause. Commodus smiled. Perhaps there was a possibility that the people loved him. He turned back to Maximus.

"There's something you need to see, Maximus.", he said quietly. Maximus nodded and motioned for them to leave. He could always finish off the little worm later. Right now he needed to find out what was going on in Cicero's mind and what had happened to Ursa. Commodus took one last opportunity to enjoy the praise of his people. This was wonderful. Now, to set things right with Maximus and weed out the true traitors that served senator Gaius.


	21. Relative Truths and Understandings

Chapter 21: Relative Truths and Understandings

Quintus followed Maximus and Commodus back into the palace. Commodus had ordered that Cicero be brought back into the palace and sent back into the infirmary right away. The two men walked into the throne room, saying nothing and looking towards the floor rather than one another. The young emperor walked over to the throne and looked at it pensively. The edict that his father had written played over and over in his mind. He felt his expression quivering with the sadness of betrayal. He touched the arm of the throne softly and cleared his throat before turning and looking at Maximus. Maximus stared back between anger and confusion. Commodus sighed and sat down on the stairs leading up to the throne itself. He looked up at the enormous warrior and frowned.

"When you refused my hand in Germania, I was furious.", he admitted sadly. "I won't deny that I acted rashly. Execution was not the best course of action. You just wanted to go home."

"Actually I wanted you dead.", Maximus said glaring unmoving at the boy in front of him.

"I gather as much from you. But why? What did I do to you aside from ordering your immediate death and the auction of your family and property?"

Maximus scoffed. "Do you think that I'm as clueless or apathetic as the senate or the rest of the legions? I know what you did to your father, you heartless little wretch.", Maximus spat. "Murder seems to be your strongsuit. Old men, women, and children; why that almost sounds like a criminal, doesn't it?"

Commodus glared at him. He stood slowly and balled his hands into fists. "Are you implying that I killed my own father!?"

"No, you fool. I'm _accusing_ you.", Maximus said angrily. Commodus snarled and moved forward a little. "You take life when you need to, or so I hear. Tell me, when did it become a necessity for you to take the life of an innocent man, woman, and child?"

"_**I did not kill my father!!**_", Commodus yelled. "Yes, I'm glad he's dead! I have felt the sky lift from my shoulders when I realized I wouldn't ever again have to put up with his indiscriminate ridicule and endless hateful lecturing! I am absoloutely giddy at thinking that the decrepit bastard is decaying as we speak! _Giddy_!"

"Prove it you horrible little insect!", Maximus shouted in return moving towards the young monarch menacingly.

"I don't have to prove _anything_ to you! I'm emperor!", Commodus said feeling all control lost. "I do not have to prove anything to anyone, ever!"

"You twisted guttersnipe! You stand there with the blood of at least three innocent people on your hands and you are indignant towards me?! You sicken me!", Maximus said raising his fists. "We're away from your public, defend yourself!"

"Fine! I'll beat you within an inch of your pathetic life, revive you, and do it again!", Commodus screamed as the two faced one another directly. The combination of ideas and accusations suddenly clicked together in the young man's head. Commodus looked up at Maximus and shock. "Three people? You think I killed your family?"

Maximus ignored this and punched the boy in the face, sending him backwards several feet. Commodus was able to stop his head from spinning in time to roll out of the way as Maximus stormed over to him and reached for him. He looked up defensively.

"I didn't kill your family!", Commodus cried. He suddenly smiled. "I can prove it!", he shouted excitedly. Maximus ignored him again punched into his abdomen. The young ruler coughed and fell forward. Maximus smiled and took a few steps back.

"Two hits. Your turn. Better hurry or I'm just going to finish you off now!", Maximus said with an evil grin. Commodus gathered himself and stood slowly. He breathed deeply and looked up at Maximus. "Go ahead, Commodus! Hit me!"

Maximus flew further than the young man had as a harsh bow landed on his jawline. Maximus skidded to a halt and watched the world around him contort and warp until it centred again. He grabbed his jaw and looked over at the smaller man in front of him in confusion. Had the tempermental little whelp just sent him hurtling him accross the room? He stayed lying on the floor in shock for a few moments as Commodus strode over him and into the hallway.

"Come on, Gladiator. I told you I had something to show you.", Commodus said casually as he walked away. Maximus climbed to his feet and staggered as he followed the emperor. He hoped that whatever the youth had to show him wasn't anything like the display earlier. The two walked down the hallway, each trying to ignore the angry wounds they had inflicted on one another. Commodus walked into Tertullian's office calmly. Maximus followed, steadying himself on the doorfacing for a moment. It wasn't necessarily that Commodus had truly done severe damage to the man, but the youth had strength and boldness that Maximus didn't expect from a emotional little boy. Tertullian nodded to the emperor and set the stack of documents that they had examined the previous night in front of him. He took the top parchment and handed it to Maximus proudly. Maximus accepted it and glared once more at the young man before reading the document. He began to shake madly. He looked up at Commodus hatefully.

"You wrote this yourself!", Maximus said throwing it back at him. Commodus caught it and growled at him.

"I most certainly did not! Ask Tertullian. He hates me a little less than you, but he is truthful.", the young emperor exclaimed.

"I find that just about as believable as that sorry excuse for evidence you're holding.", Maximus sneered.

"Uh, no, actually he's right.", Tertullian interjected. "I'm not fond of him but I don't want him dead and that handwriting is far too clear to be his. His penmanship is about as lousy and confusing as a senator trying to wield a sword."

Commodus turned and glared at him for a moment. Tertullian shrugged slightly and gave a nod to Maximus.

"That's not all.", Commodus said taking the next document and handing it to the former soldier. Maximus snatched it away and read through it as well. He sighed and threw it at the young ruler as well.

"The first part is clever on your part; but if you're going to make the rest of it official as well, then I'll just be taking the crown and ordering your execution, effective immediately.", Maximus said grabbing the emperor by the collar and readying to strike him again.

"Stop that! There will be no violence in this chamber, do you hear me?", Tertullian chastised. Maximus growled at him and dragged the young man into the hallway. He raised his hand again, only to be stopped by Quintus. Maximus looked over at the head of the guard with pure contempt.

"Don't involve yourself further in this, Quintus. It is enough that you were willing to carry out my execution.", Maximus growled angrily.

"I was carrying out orders, Maximus. There was talk that you had killed Marcus Aurelius.", Quintus replied. Maximus let go of Commodus and glared at Quintus.

"What did you say?", he asked in the lowest tone imaginable.

"I am saying that there was question about foul play surrounding Marcus's death.", Quintus replied.

"Of course there was! Even with both of those documents being truthful the fact that Commodus murdered his father is still present!", Maximus argued. "Arrest him!"

"Unfortunately, Maximus, Commodus is on the throne and holds a tad more power than you at the moment.", Quintus said. Commodus smiled triumphantly. Quintus looked at both of them reproachfully. "However, the both of you seem to be affixed on tagging the other with the death of Marcus. Just a few days ago there was another attempt on the current emperor's life. Perhaps if the two of you got to who was behind that little incident, then you might be able to quit barking at one another long enough to find out something you can prove beyond any doubt."

The two men looked at one another hatefully for a moment. Commodus breathed deeply and turned to Quintus.

"I'll be in the infirmary for a few moments.", he said.

"You're not hurt that badly, yet.", Maximus muttered, still eying the boy with disdain.

Commodus ignored this and kept his eyes on Quintus. "After that I shall retire for the evening. Maximus may stay in the servants' quarters with no less than four watchmen, preferrably more.", he instructed. "Send for Galen. I can only imagine the damage that Cicero has incurred on himself when they dragged him out of the colosseum." Quintus bowed and watched as the young monarch turned to leave. Commodus stopped after a few steps and turned back to the two. "One more thing, I will need to speak with my sister privately. Escort her to my chambers within the hour and set a close watch over Lucius."

"Yes, Caesar.", Quintus replied with another bow, clenching his fist to his chest. He turned back to Maximus as Commodus disappeared down the hallway. Tertullian appeared behind the two and stood quietly, still holding the scrolls that Commodus had asked for. Quintus cleared his throat. "Do you really think that Commodus was capable of carrying out his own father's murder and trying to disguise it with your execution?"

"More than anything.", Maximus replied. Tertullian laughed quietly and patted Maximus on the shoulder as he walked past.

"You have so much more faith in the emperor than I, Spaniard. I don't even think the whole of the senate finds him as competant as you.", Tertullian added with a chuckle. The two men watched the scholar walk down the hall as well.

"Follow me. I can show you where you'll be staying. I'll set the four men around the room, but I truly hope that we won't need them.", Quintus said. Maximus glared at him with staunch anger. "This isn't the time to try and remove the emperor, Maximus. With Commodus out of the way, Lucilla would take the throne. And if that happens,", Quintus looked directly into Maximus's face, "I will kill you."


	22. Twisted Sisterhood

Chapter 22: Twisted Sisterhood

Cicero had been knocked unconscious by the guards that had tried to take him back to the palace. The guards had simply announced, 'You there, stop where you are' before they accosted him. Cicero had been taken off by the sudden cry and panicked. He had bolted immediately in the opposite direction, but wasn't able to get very far. He lay in the infirmary as he started to come around once more. Ursa sat beside him worriedly. As he opened his eyes, Commodus walked into the room quietly. He looked over at the bed where gracchus still lay, recovering. He ventured over to him silently, trying to remain hidden from Ursa and her brother as much as possible. Gracchus sat up and nodded to his ruler. He had two bruised eyes, a large bruise on his cheek, and several contusions on his jaw. The guards that had carted him off had been exceptionally cruel to the old man. Alot of the Praetorians felt that all senators were worthless and deserved to be thrashed on a daily basis. This was a chance for a select few of them to take out said hostility on the aging politician. Commodus sat down beside the bed and looked him over once. Gracchus looked at him in something that resembled horror.

"Caesar, what happened to you?!", Gracchus exclaimed. Commodus stared at him in confusion for a moment, then remembered that he was still sporting a number of flesh wounds that had bled clearly through his white clothing. He sighed and looked away for a moment.

"Senator, I was wrong to have accused you of treason and cruel to have you arrested like that. I apologize sincerely.", the young man said. He looked up at the man with true shame in his eyes. He had been able to enjoy a small amount of comfort for the past six days, and then an even greater joy two nights ago, but now he felt more alone and burdened than ever. He had to find out who was aiding Gaius and then end the ordeal with Maximus. If Marcus was responsible for the death of his family, then he should pay for it in his absence. It was only right to give Maximus some kind of closure especially since it meant that he would be getting an easy way out at the same time. Gracchus shifted slightly.

"That doesn't quite answer my question. Were you attacked?", Gracchus asked. Commodus shook his head.

"Actually, I was performing in the arena a moment ago.", he explained. "Do you forgive me?"

"I forgive you. But I confess, I had been planning to remove you. I do not believe the throne is safe any longer.", Gracchus said softly. "Speak with Lucilla and Gaius, sire. I think they may feel threatened by something."

"Gaius has done a great number of injustices against me and against the empire.", Commodus said angrily. Gracchus frowned and fought tears away. Commodus noticed the sudden sorrow in the old man's eyes. He looked at him closely. "Senator, what troubles you?"

"Sire, the small movement against you was well-meaning in the beginnning.", Gracchus said softly.

"Gracchus, I am wearied of hearing about how good the intentions of people out for my blood were. Please just tell me what happened and why.", Commodus said quickly and sternly in a low tone. Gracchus frowned and closed his eyes for a moment.

"Caesar, if you knew everything it would break your heart.", Gracchus said sadly.

"Would it save my life? Would it protect my family?! Would it better the empire?!!"

"I don't know, Caesar."

"You don't know.", Commodus replied showing greater signs of anger in this sudden calm. "You don't know. Funny, on the senate floor you seem to know all the ins and outs of government as well as what's going on in the empire and how to remedy any problems. But when it comes down to a dire situation right in front of you", he moved closer to the old man's face, "...you don't know. Well then who does know?"

Gracchus looked at him through tears. "Your sister, she and Gaius have had it out to kill you for months.", he muttered. Commodus glared at him. "You won't believe me if I tell you. Perhaps if you hear it from herself then you will listen. Provide she doesn't end you before you get the truth."

The yung emperor began to shake with anger. He stood slowly. "Senator, you have made accusation after insult against the royal family for far too long. So help me, if I discover that you are accusing my sister of trying to have me killed and she is innocent, then it will be most amusing to have a pair of lions loosed into the senate and let them at you! Do you hear me?! I am tired of the people around me lying to me and plotting against me! I will have no more of it! All traitors will die, starting now!"

Gracchus looked up at the young man in shock. Commodus growled and stormed over to Cicero and Ursa. Ursa looked up at him, then stood and bowed. He growled at her.

"Caesar...", she began and reached out to touch his shoulder gently.

"Silence!", he yelled. Ursa jumped backwards a little and Cicero looked up at both of them in amazement. "Come with me.", he growled and grabbed her by the arm. Ursa fought for a moment as he dragged her towards the door.

"But my brother...", Ursa stammered.

"Oh, how stupid of me!", Commodus said angrily and turned to Cicero. "Stay!", he yelled at the young man. Cicero said nothing, but lay in the cot in confusion. Commodus turned back towards the door and pulled Ursa beside him. As the two left the room, Ursa pulled away from him. She now looked up at him with anger.

"What has gotten into you?", she demanded.

"Everyone!", he shouted. She silenced and stared at him. "And everything! I have been emperor for nearly six months and nearly every week has been one escape from an assassin after another! The senate doesn't respect me, the military barely obeys me, my sister treats me like a child, and my own women won't give me what I ask!"

"And what do you want! What have you asked of them?! What have you asked of any of us?!", Ursa shouted back. "Do you know why the senate doesn't respect you? You haven't _demanded_ it! Do you know why the miliatary doesn't obey you? You haven't _**commanded**_ them! Do you know why your sister treats you like a child? You haven't _**disproven**_ her! As for your women, they've barely seen you from what I understand. You've been too busy wallowing in your own self-pity to try and find joy and comfort!"

"How dare you, you insolent little tart! I gave you a great privelege and what do you give me in return?!", he ranted. He stopped for a moment, looking into her eyes. What had she given him? She had given him comfort, water when he had felt as though he would die, saved his life, sung him to sleep after nights of lying awake, and laid tenderly with him despite her convictions against it. She had compromised herself as well as sacrificed for him in small and large ways. He sighed and looked away. "I'm sorry, Ursa. I shouldn't have said that. You've given me more than even my sister has in recent years. Please don't be angry with me."

"I'm not angry with you, Commodus. I am frightened and hurt. I know what my brother is being accused of and what can be done to the both of us because of it. I know what I have done and the reprocussions that follow if I do not repent and make it right.", she said trying to calm herself. She was unsuccessful. "I am terriffied for you! Your sister wants you dead! I can't lose you, I love you!"

He stared at her. Both of them trembled silently for a few moments. Commodus pulled her to him and held her as tightly as his strength would allow. She relaxed in his arms and breathed softly. He felt every current problem melting away with the gentle warmth that lay in his embrace and would continue to do so as long as the two of them lived. He had made the right choice for his wife, but he could not announce it yet. It could end her life. If there were any assassins still on the loose and he announced that he was now happily married, they would go after her immediately. He couldn't tell anyone about his intentions lest anyone let it slip. He pulled away from her and looked down into her face for a moment, studying the soft contours of her cheeks and jaw. Her bright pink lips were shaped as perfectly as the cold hard statues that lined the palace, but seemed so much sweeter and warmer. He leaned forward and tenderly pressed his lips to hers. Both inhaled sharply and embraced all the tighter. Commodus didn't know how long they remained lost in the moment, nor did he care. He suddenly remembered that he couldn't take her to his side for ever until he resolved the matter of the attempted murder and the accusations against his sister. He sighed heavily and gently moved his face away, leaning forward once more to kiss her forehead before leaving. He turned once more and smiled at her.

"Come to my chambers this evening. We have much to discuss.", he said softly. She smiled and nodded.

Commodus walked into his bedchamber in much better spirits, but still near the edge. His sister had acted strangely lately and she had seemed to want to avoid him at all cost except to give him the draught at night. The draught, he thought. Perhaps he should have Galen examine the contents of it. He would do that later that evening. He looked around the room for his sister. Lucilla sat on the bed, waiting patiently for her little brother. Commodus breathed deeply and walked over to her. She turned and smiled forcibly at him. He smiled equally at her and stood in front of her.

"Brother.", she said and moved to embrace him. Commodus allowed this for a moment, but then pushed her away. She looked down at him in feigned concern. "What is wrong, Commodus?"

"Lucilla, how did you and Gaius discover the document that Gracchus had written to have me removed?", he asked sternly. Lucilla looked away for a moment. Commodus felt a pain in his chest at this. His sister was going to lie to him, he could feel it. "How, sister?"

"Gaius and I were discussing the edict you had written last week regarding the subsidizing of physicians during the plague and we saw him leaving the archives. Gaius and I have been working to investigate many of the plots aginst you as of late. When we asked him what he had been doing he said nothing, but darted away and dropped the scroll he had been holding. I took it and read it, and then went to tell Quintus what we had found.", Lucilla said nervously. Commodus glared at her.

"And you told Quintus that Gracchus had already tried to flee and where he had been?", Commodus asked. "He could verify what you have told me without my asking for details?"

"Why would you need to, brother?", she asked innocently. She reached out and put a hand on the side of his face. Commodus pushed it away firmly.

"Sister I am not a child. Stop mothering me! You're patronizing me like a toddler, but you won't give me comfort or encouragement when I need it!", he shouted.

"Oh, brother, you're upset. Perhaps you should lie down for a few hours.", she suggested. He growled at her. "Let me get you something to calm you."

"No!", he shouted. "Lucilla you have been accused of treason as well! Gracchus admits that he had indeed been plotting to have me removed and sent to live in secret near the sea. While having me kidnapped is a crime, his intentions were noble and I will judge him based on both facts. What about you? I have read recently that Gaius has written many edicts and orders using my signature. Do you know what that means for him, sister? Treason by means of forgery, usurpation, and murder! Do you have any idea what kind of punishment that will mean for him?"

"Brother, Gaius has been writing only documents sent to the senate.", Lucilla argued. She really didn't think her petulant little brother was capable of doing the research required to prove what he had just said. She moved towards him once more. "You're over reacting, little brother. I really think you should simply go on to bed and forget all of this. We can deal with the matter in the morning when you can think clearly again."

Commodus lost all control. He was exhausted of every citizen around him denying him respect and dignity. He slapped her harshly accross the face. Lucilla fell to the floor and looked up at him in shock. She breathed quickly and began to cry a little. He glared down at her and stood over her menacingly.

"Lucilla, you have been accused as well. What defense will you have? You've done nothing but demean me for the past few days. Do you have anything to confess?", he asked in a growl. She stared at him in silence. She could confess to him right now that she had indeed plotted to kill him, but explain that Lucius's life was at stake. She still had no faith in her brother keeping his temper and understanding her fear for her son and herself. She could confess that Gaius had planned since before Marcus had died that he would kill Commodus and take the throne since he was a second cousin to Marcus himself. She could have lifted every burden from her chest that very moment, but she lacked the faith in her brother to do it. Instead, she simply burst into tears and remained on the floor. Commodus groaned and stormed over to the door. "Quintus!", he called.

The captain of the Praetorians appeared in the doorway a moment later.He bowed and saluted the young emperor. "Yes, Caesar?"

"Take my sister to the cell where Gaius is being held. Arrange for an audience with both of them and the senate tomorrow. Be sure twelve of the other nobles are there as well, we will need a tribunal. Both of them are under arrest for treason and attempted murder until they can prove their innocence.", Commodus said firmly. Quintus nodded slowly. He didn't know why the emperor was lashing out at his sister, but plots among family members were not uncommon in the empire, especially in the royal family. "Bring my nephew to me. He will need to be watched closely until further notice."

"Of course, sire.", Quintus said and ordered two men to help him with Lucilla.

Lucilla fought madly and began to hurl insults at her brother, voicing all the hurt and frustration she had experienced in silence since her father's death. Commodus ignored it and watched the guards drag his sister away kicking, screaming, and weeping. He hated seeing any hurt come to his family. Lucilla had been the only stable woman in his life since their mother had died. She hadn't been the best source of comfort, but she had donce for the time being. He sighed and sat down sadly. He hoped that Ursa would arrive soon. He needed to speak with her and relieve both their anxieties. Hopefully, by the morning his sister would have her defense prepared and would have learned a valuable lesson. There was, after all, no way that she had truly plotted to kill him. He walked over to his bedside table and took the glass from the previous night that still had the majority of the draught in it. He took it to the door and commanded the nearest guard to take it to Galen and have it examined immediately for its use and potency. After the guard left, Ursa walked up to the door. He stared at her for a moment, then smiled brightly. He took her by the hand and gently pulled her inside.


	23. Another Night With the King, The Right O

Chapter 23: Another Night With the King, The Right One

Commodus and Ursa spent several hours talking endlessly about the past and treating the wounds that he had suffered. It seemed to make things less akward and uncomfortable to talk about something that wasn't even close to what they were going through at the moment. All of that could wait until the matter with Gaius was resolved and he could declare Ursa as his wife. The wounds were superficial, but painful never the less. Ursa used a soothing salve of mint, ground apple, and comfrey to treat the wounds after removing the layers of armour and cloth. Commodus had put on a more simple tunic and continued simply talking with her for the evening. He sat on the floor with her leaned against him. She felt wonderful, breathing slowly and laughing every now and then. If this was any preview to the rest of their life together, then it would be a most marvelous exsistance. Ursa looked up at him for a moment. She smiled brightly.

"I wonder if you remember something.", she said.

"What is that?", he said laying his cheek against the top of her head.

"Your scar. Do you remember where it came from?", she asked. He smiled.

"I remember that I was attacked by an animal while playing, a wild dog I think. Mother rarely let me out to play at Galen's warnings of the air being bad for my lungs and all. I suppose I became a little reckless when I was allowed out since it was so rare and liberating.", he mused. "I don't remember how I got away from the beast."

"I do.", she said softly. He lifted her up and turned her to face him.

"Truly?", he asked. She smiled and nodded. "How then?"

"My brother was a servant to your family at the time and we had been sent out to the villas in Lanuvium with you and your mother. I was allowed outside to play quite often. Your mother, senator Gracchus, and the other servants never saw me as a problem so I had free run of most everywhere. We even played together twice that I can recall.", she said smiling brighter as he looked at her in stunned silence. "I heard the beast growl and saw it leap for you. When I heard you scream I hurled a rock at its head. It flinched, but didn't leave. I threw another and sent it running. I wasn't strong enough to carry you, I was only four after all, but I did manage to drag you back safely."

"That was you? You were four?", he asked in astonishment. Ursa laughed and shook her head.

"My brother was sent to serve under your father in the wars shortly after and told that story to every soldier that he could. I imagine that Maximus has heard it a hundred times." She looked up at him and touched the mark pensively. He moved away for a moment, then held still, closing his eyes and breathing in the moment. "I miss those days. I knew nothing but the love of my brother and the cycles of the moon and sun. Good times."

Commodus frowned. His childhood had not been happy and carefree in the least. His mother had made things a little easier when she had been alive, and he had to admit that the two years he had spent at the academy away from the combat training his father wanted and often oversaw were manageable. It seemed though, that after the age of eight, Commodus had lived a nightmare. Even when set on the throne as regent in his father's absences at the tender age of fourteen, the boy had known nothing but heartache and strained survival from birth up. He envied what Ursa recalled as being the fond memories of her early life. Perhaps in that sense, being a servant was far better than being a royal or noble. As a servant or peasant, you didn't adhere to protocol or regulation. You simply learned to obey and stay under the law as much as possible. Peasants were free to marry for love, pursue dreams, even raise their children without the need for nursemaids and groomsmen.

Then again, peasants were subject to numerous plagues, hunger, cold, heat, and vicious assault. Everything would have a downside, but choosing between the two he had to admit that royalty would still be his choice. Commodus could not imagine being cold and hungry. Were those things worse than being lonely? He looked down at Ursa once more and wrapped his arms around her, leaning her against him while facing away as they had done a moment ago. The two sighed. Ursa closed her eyes and began to drift into a dreamless sleep. Commodus felt the same drowsiness overtake him since he had not slept well the past two nights. Not to mention the wounds on his body had ceased to hurt and he felt the euphoria that came with the alleviation of such pains. He groaned and laid to the side, moving Ursa with him. The two lay side by side on the floor, Ursa with her head laid against his chest. This seemed right. It wasn't a powerful emperor lying in an enormous bed with favourite concubine, it was simply a man fast asleep with his wife. This was far better than being either peasant or royal for both the time being and for the rest of their lives.

A shout jarred Commodus awake in the middle of the night. He jumped and looked around the room. Ursa sat up and looked at him.

"What is it?", she asked softly. He put a hand over her mouth and listened carefully. The shout came again from the hallway. It was Lucius. Commodus jumped up and raced towards the boy's room. Ursa stood and followed after him. As he reached the boy's door, he saw that the two guards surrounding it seemed unmoved. He looked at them angrily.

"What on earth are you doing!? My nephew is in danger!", he shouted as he moved past them.

"Actually, sire the boy is simply crying for his mother.", one of them said. He looked at the young soldier with sheer anger. "We were told never to disturb the ones we guard unless their life was in peril, sire."

Commodus said nothing and pushed past them, entering the boy's room silently. Lucius was crying loudly, sitting curled up in the centre of his bed. His uncle approached him and sat down, embracing him gently. Lucius accepted the gesture and cried madly into the man's shoulder.

"It's alright, Lucius.", he soothed. "Did you have a bad dream?"

"No.", the boy sniffed. "I just couldn't sleep and went to ask where mother was and the guards told me that she was in the prisons. Mother's going to die!", he wailed.

Commodus held the boy tighter and rocked a little with him. He wished vainly to himself that he had been comforted properly when he had been a child and therefore might know what he was doing at the moment. He sighed and looked down at the sobbing child.

"Your mother isn't going to die, Lucius. I'm protecting her.", he explained. Lucius wiped his eyes, quieting slightly.

"Then why didn't you protect her from going there in the first place?", the boy asked sniffling.

"Your mother did something wrong, Lucius. There are always punishments for such things, even when you're very sorry. She will be home tomorrow, but wiser for the experience.", he comforted. Lucius nodded and laid his head against his uncle. "I hope.", he added under his breath.

"When you did something wrong the other night did you have to go to the prisons?", he asked.

"No.", he said flatly.

"Why not?", Lucius asked sitting up and looking at the man directly.

"Because I fixed the problem before much damage had been done. If what has been said is true, your mother may be guilty of quite a bit more than I was.", he stated. Lucius gasped. Commodus pulled the boy back into his arms and held onto him. "Don't worry, everything will be fine. Just try and sleep now."

"Do you promise mother will be back tomorrow?", Lucius asked firmly. The young emperor chuckled at the boy's suden seriousness without fear.

"Of course. Now go to sleep.", he ordered, kissing the boy's head as he stood and left the room. He closed the doors carefully and turned to Ursa who had waited by the doors. He smiled. "He's fine. Just a little frightened about being without his mother, that's all."

"Is Lucilla really under arrest, then?", Ursa asked quietly as they walked down the hall once more. He nodded to her. "Why?"

"Apparently your little coalition has plotted to have me done away with since I came back to the capital.", he laughed. "Not even a full week here and I was already popular enough to assassinate."

"I don't think popular is the word I'd use. However, the majority of the peasantry are fond of you. You've been more close to the people than your father. I hope you plan to further that.", she said as the two walked into his bedchamber casually. Ursa stopped in the doorway and looked up at him. She frowned. "I need to go and see to my brother."

His expression dropped a little as well. He stared down at her for a moment. Perhaps being playful would help. "Ursa, you are one of the concubines now. I could order you to stay with me.", he said with a smile. To his dismay, Ursa had not read into what he had meant by this at all. A look of horror and shame crossed her face. He stopped. "What? What is it?"

She pulled away from him and hurried off towards the infirmary. Damnation!, he thought to himself. Why wasn't he better with women? He had tried courting several women since he had been twelve with no positive results whatsoever. He grumbled to himself as he entered his quarters and prepared for another evening alone. As he lay down and closed his eyes, suddenly felt a sharp pain in his abdomen. He opened his eyes. Standing to the side of the bed was a young man. In the man's hand was a dagger, the point of which was now embedded in the young emperor just below the ribcage. Commodus gasped for a moment and tried to scream for help, but darkness enveloped him too quickly. He wasn't dead, but he couldn't break free of the darkness.


	24. Waking From The Nightmare

Chapter 24: Waking From The Nightmare

Commodus fought madly through the tangible black field that surrounded him. The pain in his abdomen burned violently every moment. He felt strength and determination welling with each mad twist of his unresponsive body. He finally felt every ounce of courage and power culminate into one loud scream of frustration. He sat bolt upright and shouted loudly. He panted and tried to regain his thoughts, sweat dripping from his chiseled form. He inhaled deeply and reached instinctively for the wound. He felt a mixture of relief and confusion at feeling nothing but warm flesh; no wound and no bandaging. He had been dreaming. It had felt more real than any other dream, and how terrible it was. He calmed himself and found solace in the fact that he was alive, well, and unscathed save for the numerous scuffs and scratches all over his arms, legs, and torso. The few marks on his face were relatively unnoticeable as well. He sighed and looked out of the enormous window at the end of the magnificent room. The sky was turning slightly orange. He smiled. The sun was rising and he was not only alive, but about to make everything right with Ursa. Once the assassins had been discovered and arrested (senator Gaius included), then he could announce to the senate that Ursa was his wife. He climbed out of bed and began to dress quickly. The doors burst open and Quintus flew in. The young captian looked as though he had been attacked by a phantom.

"Caesar, something terrible has happened!", Quintus exclaimed in one breath. Commodus had never seen the young man so afraid and upsetted before. He walked over to him quickly and looked closely into his eyes. "There's been an uprising. There are many men that claim loyalty to the senate rather than the royal family. Half of the military and the Praetorian guard have rallied with Senators Gaius and Falco, and they are marching into the capital!"

"How did that happen!?!", Commodus shouted in a high-pitched squeak. Quintus breathed deeply.

"Last night, Falco and the ones that had spoken against your father's decisions in the wars as well as your decisions to give back much of the conquered lands to the barbarians took Senator Gaius and your sister from the prisons. They've been planning to assume control under one of the senators or another for some time now. Now they have a powerful leader, a cause, and your sister as a hostage.", Quintus said nervously. "Sire, I think you should flee with senator Gracchus and a few servants. We could very easily get you to safety."

Commodus looked away and thought quickly about the best course of action. He couldn't run away from the throne like that. If Falco or Gaius siezed control then the people would suffer greatly and the empire would all but collapse. It would be a living nightmare more terrifying than the one he had just endured. He heaved a sigh and turned back to Quintus. He had enjoyed the privelege in Germania of seeing the men in action and where their loyalties usually laid. He smiled. The majority of them were unquestionably loyal to Maximus. He had that to his advantage. He turned to Quintus and smiled a little.

"Go to the servant's quarters and retrieve Maximus. Bring him to me at once.", he said firmly. Quintus bowed immediately and hurried out of the room. Commodus sat down at his desk after dressing fully and began to look over the scrolls that he had found in the archives that had been written in Gaius's hand. Indeed, it seemed that Gaius had been interacting with the higher-ups in the military and giving them limitless freedoms for sometime. Some of the edicts issued stated that any soldier who arrested a traitor was to be given the property and belongings of the person arrested. This made the young emperor furious. It was no wonder people like Cicero and Maximus had felt that he was a monster. He looked over the documents again. Falco hadn't written any of them, but the devious old snake had been keen on Commodus using the Praetorians as a more fierce 'kingmaker' in the capital. Gaius must have had the loyalties of the regiments while Falco commanded the Praetorians. He growled and started to roll the documents back into their original shapes and tied them back with string. A moment later, Tertullian burst into the room. Commodus looked up in time to see the old scholar advance angrily on him and again begin to pelt him in the head with a large roll of parchment. Commodus was stunned for a brief second and then began to dodge and crawl away from the raging scribe.

"What in the name of every sacred relic in the temple of Apollo is wrong with you? You stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid boy!", Tertullian exclaimed between smacks.

"Tertullian... what... I... what is... Tertullian... Stop it!", Commodus yelled as he finally got away from the academic assault. Tertullian followed him as he slunk behind his bed. "What on earth are you talking about?!"

"I asked Ursa if you managed to patch things up with her and save her brother. She told me that you did all of that and then reminded her that she was simply a new bedwarmer for you!", Tertullian said as he advanced on the young royal. Commodus scooted away and continued to shout defensively at the old man.

"Stop attacking me! I didn't say that. She said that she needed to go and see about her brother. I playfully replied that since she was now a concubine I could order her to stay with me.", Commodus argued. Tertullian stopped moving and stared at him blankly. Commodus waited for a few moments, making sure that the old man wasn't going to bludgeon him with his document again. When he was sure that the old man was calmed enough, he began to stand up slowly. He looked at the old man, still standing behind his bed. "I meant it playfully, but I think she felt I said something wrong."

"Really? Do you really think that, Commodus?", Tertullian asked.

"Well, not last night; but after you barged in here I began to have more than a few doubts about the way I behaved.", Commodus said as he began to inch out from behind the bed. Tertullian walked over to the young man slowly.

"Oh, good. Then I was _**successful**_!", Tertullian said raising his voice into a shout as he began clobbering the poor youth again. Commodus tried defending himself from the old man by grabbing the scroll, but Tertullian was far too quick. "You bumbling little fool! I gave you your lessons! Every time you mess things up it reflects poorly on my limitless talents! Stop talking before you have a moment to think about what you're saying!"

"Tertullian stop attacking me!", Commodus shouted and finally grabbed the scroll from the young man. Tertullian stopped and stared at the young emperor in shock. "I meant it playfully. Ursa will have surely realized that by the afternoon. After that, she and I can move on with the passions we have for one another."

"Then you aren't going to apologize?", Tertullian said hintingly.

"No.", Commodus said in confusion. Tertullian nodded and let go of the scroll. Instead, he began smacking the young ruler fully on the back of the head with an open palm. Commodus stumbled backwards away from the angry scribe and raced over to his desk. "Tertullian, if you strike me once more I will summon the whole of the eighth regiment and have you removed from more than my chambers!"

"Go to her and explain what you truly meant by what you said and apologize for being an ass.", Tertullian instructed. Commodus glared at him. Tertullian moved closer to the young man. "And get started now. If I'm going to be arrested then by thunder I'm going to make it worth my while!"

"Tertullian, I do not have time to go and speak with her! An army has gathered at the ready to attack the capital. Two senators and half of the military and palace guards are out there ready to invade the city and kill me! Worse, my sister is their hostage and I can only imagine the atrocities she is enduring as we speak!", Commodus exclaimed. "I can't simply drop everything and have a long heart to heart with my wife!"

Tertullian raced over to the young man. Commodus scrambled to get away from him as he approached. Tertullian took hold of his sleeve and lifted him to his feet. He looked at him in amazement.

"What did you say?", Tertullian exclaimed. Commodus frowned and turned a soft shade of red. "Did you call her your wife?"

"I was planning on having it announced in the senate two days ago, but there have been some complicated events happening lately.", Commodus said very quietly. "I haven't told anyone, not even her. I can't afford for anyone to know. If this gets out, then Gaius and Falco will go after her before they continue with their seemingly endless assualt on my life. They would do it slowly and out of spite."

"Agreed, but you have to do something to let the girl know that you feel more than carnal intensity for her.", Tertullian said. "Go and speak with the men that are still loyal to you and get things started in the counterattack. Then you have to and make things right with her immediately."

"There won't be a counterattack, Tertullian. A move like that would mean civil war, an all out domestic bloodbath. I cannot allow that to happen! I've sent for the aid of Maximus, I have something to discuss with him, Quintus, and senator Gracchus.", Commodus said sternly. "Until the battle, or whatever occurs, is over; I can't put my own selfish needs and feelings above my people."

"You've had no problem with it in the past.", Tertullian corrected.

Commodus glared at him. "For your information, I have done a lot of maturing since I first had priveleges in power five years ago.", Commodus corrected. "Now go and make yourself useful, go and summon Gracchus for me."

"Very well, sire. Just bear in mind that while the empire can survive even while teetering on the edge, a young girl's heart cannot.", Tertullian remarked.

"Stop being melodramactic! I know what I'm doing. This has to be resolved immediately.", Commodus argued. "Just go and do as I've told you."

Tertullian scoffed and walked away indignantly. Commodus watched, shaking his head. He was getting fed up with several things that had started being commonplace as of late; Ursa running off in tears, Lucilla and the other senators lying to him, and Tertullian clobbering him with whatever was on hand. All of it had to stop. He hoped he had a steadfast answer to all three that would be effectual within the day. He sighed and began to pace, waiting for Maximus.


	25. A Call To Arms

Chapter 25: Call To Arms

Maximus entered the young emperor's quarters with a five man escort that included Quintus. Commodus turned to the group and motioned for all but Quintus to leave. He saluted Maximus, giving the former general every confidence in this gesture. Maximus saluted, but with less enthusiasm.

"You sent for me, Caesar?", Maximus said almost gagging on the last word that was the young man's title. Commodus could distinctly feel the apprehension that his old friend had in saying it. He couldn't blame him, either. He hadn't been totally pernicious, but he hadn't been the best thing to happen to the empire in the least. He sighed and motioned for the three of them to sit in a group of chairs off to the side of his desk. Commodus frowned and looked down slightly.

"I have yet to make ammends for the loss of your family, Maximus. Since it was my father who murdered him, then his bloodline should pay for theirs. In his absence I will stand as the object of your vendetta. Then again I'm sure that was already on your to-do list.", Commodus said. This seemed to amuse the older man somewhat. Quintus tensed at hearing this. He didn't feel any extreme loyalty that would cause him to give all he had right this moment to bring Maximus down for a simple threat, but he did feel compassion for young Commodus as a fellow victim of the follies of Marcus Aurelius. He was a little confused as to why Maximus didn't feel the same. "The present matters that face the empire are much greater than that debt at the moment. Until the matter I am speaking of is resolved, I am afraid I cannot give you what is owed desperately, but perhaps you can help remedy it."

"How is that?", Maximus asked with a half smile. It just figured that the insufferable little runt would need _his_ help to do something right before he killed him. It was a little ironic and quite perfect.

"Senators Falco and Gaius have been able to gather near the whole of the military and half the Praetorians to serve them. They have been calling them back from the borders into their service every time I would call our men back from foreign soil. That's how they have been able to keep this from me, it has been done out of sight. They are gathered several miles outside the city walls. They are ready to march on the capital in three days?", Commodus explained looking at Quintus for confirmation of the last fact. Quintus nodded quickly. An emmissary had been sent from the traitorous Praetorians to tell the emperor. The young man had the nerve to apologize for his decision, but stressed that Falco and Gaius were very persuasive, using the edict of repossession of a turncoat's family and belongings as a weapon. Commodus had felt sorry for the man. He knew a little of what it was to be caught in a hard place and being a peasant without power couldn't have made things any easier for him, soldier or not. "Please, Maximus. I need you to reclaim control of the legions and show them that they need not fear. I will protect them."

Maximus laughed scornfully. Commodus looked at him in a mixture of anger and shock. "You want me to lie to them, you mean. Commodus, you couldn't even protect your own sister and that is how they will see it. My influence will do little if anything.", Maximus said as he ceased laughing. Commodus frowned and looked down sadly. This had been his one and only ace in the hole, he saw no other options whatsoever. "I have seen something that might be far more effectual in what you need."

"What? You were their leader, you are surely the only one that could turn their heads and divert them from the violence they are craving every moment until the come for me and my nephew!", Commodus exclaimed, rising desperately and shaking. Maximus smiled and laughed again, shaking his head as if he had just heard the most magnificent filthy joke. Commodus growled and balled his fists together. "There will be a massacre here in the palace, do you hear me?! A total slaughter!"

"You still think that the army holds the power, don't you? That those who wield the swords in turn wield the power. You spend so much time trying to be a man of the people, the defender of the homefront; but you lack the faith in them to defend you when the time comes.", Maximus said.

Commodus relaxed a little. Quintus perked up and listened closely.

"What are you getting at?", Commodus asked with genuine interest.

Maximus smiled. "In Brittania, there is an old legend. Cicero has told it to me many times. He says that there was so much resistance to Roman involvement that Rome attacked them with emmense fervor and at one time kidnapped a prominent commander of one of the armies. They chose not to kill him so that they could extract information from her.", Maximus explained.

"Her?!", Quintus and Commodus replied in unison. Maximus smiled brightly.

"Aye, her. The young woman knew what she had in her favour, her feminine wiles. The Romans felt compassionate and passionate for her and were easy on her. Instead of torturing her, they set her to work in their camp doing odd jobs, mostly the cooking. She learned of a full invasion that was to take place and knew also that her men would be sending a scout to confer the army . Rome sent for a servant of the commander to come and see that she was simply staying with them and that they could lower their arms and be unready for the invasion to come. ", Maximus explained with excitement. "Now, she knew that she couldn't be alone with whomever they sent because while the Romans were leniant, they weren't stupid. Instead, she took a piece of parchment and wrote down all the details of the battle to come and baked it into a loaf of herbed bread. When the servant sent to check on his commander arrived, she gave him the loaf as proof to her men that they were to suspect nothing of Rome. The Romans allowed this, impressed with her initiative. As soon as they servant got back, they broke open the loaf and discovered the facts and the symbol of the roaring dragon; their call to arms."

"Marvelous tactic!", Quintus exclaimed suddenly.

"Clever indeed. How does that help me?", Commodus asked. Maximus shook his head.

"Sire, even common citizens are familiar with the iron eagle and what it means. Distribute the symbol among the people and every able bodied man will rally to your side under me, I garuantee it. There are hordes of men in the city that would fight for the empire, but were never able to complete proper training in the military and many more who are retired from it.", Maximus said. "Once they see that symbol, they will all gather into the senate building as we have planned to do in case of emergency."

"Yes, but that still doens't tell me how we would do it. Gaius and Falco are cunning and will no doubt have spies everywhere. They have already sent many spies into the palace and the ranks behind my back. I am quite sure they would see nothing wrong with it again.", Commodus remarked. He and Quintus remembered all too well the stories from other senators and nobles about the spies from treacherous senators and backbiting royals in times past.

"The bread worked once, it would do it again.", a new albeit familiar voice stated from behind them. The three turned. Staying true to his recent need for escape or simply wandering around, Cicero stood at the door. He walked over to the group slowly. Maximus rose instantly and smiled at his old friend and loyal servant. Cicero smiled to him and walked over to Commodus, bowing low. "Simply stamp the eagle and the word 'tonight' on a piece of parchment and conceal it in a small loaf of bread. Distribute it at the games tommorrow assuming that they are still going to be held. The greater majority of the nobles and none of the people know what is transpiring here."

"And this will work? You know for a fact that the men will rally together?", Commodus asked slightly shaking at the thought of attending an event with half of his personal guard serving two traitors just outside the city gates. Worse yet, the thought of Lucilla being held by Falco and Gaius for more time. He was powerless to do anything else other than an insurrection against the army outside the city with what little Praetorian manpower they had. He sighed and fought back a few tears. He would need to comfort Lucius. Maximus nodded enthusiastically. Quintus did the same and remarked about how silly he was for not having thought of it sooner. "Very well. Maximos; send for parchments, ink, and Tertullian. Quintus, go into the city and tell the bakers that I will be needing all of them that are available to come here to the palace, we need as many bodies as we can get to bake the loaves in time. Cicero, I need to speak with you privately. Is everyone busy for the next few moments?"

"Yes.", all of them replied. Commodus smiled. It was the first in a long time that a plan of his would work. Not just work, but make a significant difference for the good of his people and family.

"Once the armies see you and I at the head of every man in the capital ready to lay down their lives, then they will abandon their questionable loyalty to these senators immediately and Lucilla will be safe.", Maximus said proudly. Commodus smiled brightly and grasped the larger man by the arm, gripping him in brotherhood tightly. "After that, you and I will settle things."

Commodus said nothing, but nodded. As Maximus and Quintus left the room with their respective tasks to complete, the young emperor turned to Cicero and sighed heavily. Cicero had lightened the hateful glare that he had sported in front of the youth as of late and now simply stared at him inquisitively. Commodus sat down slowly and looked up at the servant.

"Cicero, do you know that I have never taken a concubine to my bed?", he asked. Cicero looked at him in confusion. "I am by no means a virgin, I was given that training as soon as I reached fifteen. Father felt it mandantory to my development. Hardly a necessary lesson for a young man in combat training if you ask me. The sad fact is, Cicero, that I wanted more than anything to have what my mother was at my side again. I didn't want a temporary relief of my passionate frustrations, I have since my childhood wanted what my father had and squandered; a wife and family. I have courted in the past, unsuccessfully of course, but I gave what I could to the occasion. I had never met the woman that completed me."

"Are you saying one thing in particular, majesty, or are you simply trying your hand at reciting tradgedy?", Cicero said annoyedly. Commodus glared at the young man. He knew too well that Commodus was almost powerless to call on guards any time he was simply angry, he would need them to be there solely when he was in danger. Cicero frowned. Even he felt a little sorry for the young Caesar, he was enduring quite alot by comparison. "What did you really want to tell me?"

"I want Ursa to be my wife.", Commodus admitted. Cicero stepped back, awestruck at his ruler's words. "I want you to come back and serve in the palace at her side as an attendant to her safety and well-being if you wish that."

"You want her to what!?", Cicero breathed loudly, feeling a thundering wave of pure shock racking his body and mind.

"I love her, Ciero. I do not wish anyone else to know about my decision. Not even her, do you hear? I want you to know to let you see that she is more to me than a bodyslave. You need to have the decision made soon, I will announce us as soon as the battle, such as it is, is over and done.", Commodus explained. "I will not be my father. I have never taken a simple concubine to my bed and I never will."

"Caesar I truly feel it best that you tell her now. This can't wait, she feels betrayed and that she has betrayed her family and convictions. You have to end her suffering.", Cicero argued.

"If I tell her, then she will rush headlong into any fight and try to protect me, you know she would. Not to mention the fact that any assassins still in the service of Gaius and Falco that are here in the palace would kill her as soon as she closed her eyes for a moment.", Commodus argued. "Please keep this secret and consider what I have told you."

Cicero smiled a little and finally nodded. "Very well, sire. Ursa will remain in the dark about this matter. As for me, I will give you my answer by tomorrow night.", he stated. Commodus nodded to him. It was a better answer than he had hoped for. The best he had thought would happen is Cicero telling him that he would consider both options until he went back to Ursa's quarters. He breathed an enormous sigh of relief and took hold of the man's arm. The two smiled at one another with a slight glow of fraternal understanding. "I'd best set out after Maximus and make myself useful for the time being."

"Thank you, Cicero.", Commodus said softly as the manservant turned to leave. "And I am very sorry for my rash accusations and cruel behaviour the other night."

Cicero nodded and smiled brightly. Even if Ursa didn't want to stay with the little weasel, Commodus was proving himself to be quite the little gentleman. He had even managed to impress Maximus a little with his research and noble offers. This might be superficial; but for a politician, Commodus seemed genuine.


	26. The Confession of Gracchus

Chapter 26: The Confession of Gracchus

Ursa crept out of her quarters as Maximus and Quintus were going about their tasks and Cicero was leaving Commodus's quarters. She approached her brother immediately as soon as both of them wear clear of the hallway near the imperial bedchamber. She looked up at him. He looked to be a mixture of angry, sad, relieved, and frustrated. She examined his eyes for a moment.

"Cicero, what is troubling you?", Ursa asked softly. He shook his head, trying to forget the words that he and the emperor had just exchanged. He sighed and took Ursa's hands in his.

"Nothing, little bear. Are we alright, you and I?", he asked looking into her eyes. She smiled and nodded. He breathed a heavy sigh of relief. "Commodus has decided to try and rally the men of the capital to help fend off the army outside the city. It may or may not work. I think it would be best for you to take Lucius and hide back in our home."

"Did Commodus agree to that?", she asked. He looked away for a moment.

"I haven't suggested it to him yet. Personally, Gracchus and I feel that he should simply go and hide for a few days and have assassins sent out to Gaius and Falco.", Cicero explained. "Both he and Lucius are in terrible danger. Not to mention that Lady Lucilla is probably being tortured or worse right now."

"Has no one gone to try and retrieve her?", Ursa said in frustration.

"Who could? Everyone with the ability is needed here at the palace to protect the little whelp on the throne.", Cicero muttered. "Just go and get Lucius and head out for our home. If he isn't taken away soon, I fear that Gaius and Falco will send someone in secret to kidnap him."

Ursa looked at her brother closely. "You've heard something, haven't you?", she said in a low tone.

"Of course I have, I hear nearly everything in the palace.", Cicero sighed. "There are several rumours floating around about plots against every noble nearby. If Commodus chooses to go through with having the men of the city rally to his side, he may have an all out civil war anyway, but he's not thinking clearly about that."

"Then someone needs to talk with him about that before it's too late.", Ursa said looking at her brother frantically. "There would be hundreds of deaths if war breaks out."

"Who's going to talk with him about it and correct him? You?", Cicero said with a laugh. Ursa glared at him. He groaned and frowned. He still felt incredibly angry with Commodus and put out at the fact that he would have to be aiding in defending his life, but he knew that Ursa would be heartbroken if the little worm died. "I'll send Gracchus to talk with him, then."

"Good. He's seemed to be more adamant than anyone about protecting him and keeping him secure.", Ursa mused. She stopped and thought for a moment. "Come to think of it, Gracchus was the only one who refused to plot against his life. He's been one of the only ones who wanted Commodus to simply be removed and sent to a hiding place near the sea."

"Gracchus has been losing his mind over the years. It happens in the senate.", Cicero said. He patted her shoulder as he walked past and headed towards the senate building. Gracchus, who had been informed of the gathering outside the city a little after the emperor had, agreed to meet with the other senators and try to keep order in case someone had spread rumours or unpleasant news that needed to be kept quiet. It wasn't something Gracchus had ever wanted to do, it certainly wasn't something his morals allowed, but Gracchus seemed to be loyal to the young emperor in a way that no one could explain or understand. It confused Ursa and raised a hundred questions for her to ask the old senator when they were alone together.

Cicero told Gracchus of Commodus's plan as soon as he had finished on the senate floor. Gracchus looked terrified. He had wanted Commodus to leave before this had transpired. He knew firsthand the type of betrayal the young man would face as the years on the throne passed for him, but he couldn't bring himself to give him all of the necessary details. Commodus prided himself on his physical strength and iron will, but Gracchus knew above everyone that the boy had a very tender heart. It was a deadly trait for a Caesar, but perhaps one that could do good for the empire in the end. Gracchus had indeed kept many things from the boy all of his life. He sighed as he walked towards the throne room where Commodus was pacing nervously. It was time to encourage the young monarch to flee. Gracchus walked slowly into the room and watched the young man walking to and fro for a few moments, silent and pensive. The poor boy seemed to be wracked with the anxiety of a novice soldier going into battle. There was no excuse for this kind of worry to be burdening the young emperor at the moment, but fate had played cruelly as of late. Gracchus cleared his throat. Commodus stood still and watched the old man approach. He gave a half smile.

"Senator, forgive me. I am told it is unwise for me to take an evening walk in the gardens, so I feel it best to do it here instead.", Commodus lied quickly. Gracchus shook his head, but remained outwardly emotionless. The worried ruler stared at the old man for a few moments and then walked a few steps towards him. "Gracchus, is something wrong?"

"I have it on good authority that you wish to rally the reserves, retired warriors, and common men to face the enemy at our doorstep.", Gracchus said. Commodus nodded. "Sire, you do realize that this move will not prevent civil war; it will fully encourage it. The men that serve Gaius and Falco are not going to be swayed by the peasants they have already goaded since before you came to power. There isn't a ready option for you except to escape into hiding for a few days and let the rest of us handle what is happening."

Commodus tensed. "You don't think I can handle this. My first real test of character and you are sure that I will fail.", he muttered loudly.

"Sire, listen to me..."

"No! You listen to me! I have been raised hearing that I am a weakling, a failure, and that I will be the downfall of the monarchy!", Commodus began ranting. "I am not a fool; I am not a child; And I am not a weakling!"

"I never said you were!", Gracchus said loudly directly into the young man's face. Both breathed heavily staring at one another in frustration. Commodus noticed something terribly strange in the man's eyes; tears. He took a small step backwards and looked intentively at the old man. "I never chided you, Commodus. As harsh and demeaning as I could be on the senate floor I never stooped to the level that Marcus's friends, family, and guards did. I never derrided you to the point that you wept madly and questioned your necessity to the empire." Commodus squinted at him inqusitively. "At least I pray that I did not. I never wanted to see you hurt. It has happened, and there is nothing I can do to repair it, but I can help you now. For the good of the empire, you must flee to safety."

"Why? What is it to you whether I survive or not? Surely there are several men that could take the crown and do it to your specifics. Why do begin to weep at the thought of my demise, Gracchus?", Commodus said beginning to glare at him. "What else other than the plots against me have you kept from me?"

Gracchus looked up at the young man. There was no garauntee that he would live to see the next year let alone the next day. He sighed and thought about how best to say this. He looked up at the young man and inhaled as deeply as he could.

"Commodus, I love you. I cannot bear the thought of you being killed or suffering like you will at their hands. Please take your nephew and go where we tell you.", Gracchus said. The truth of his motivations still remaining a mystery to the confused emperor. "You can take Ursa with you, you can be together for a while. She'll like that. You'll both be happy."

"I thank you for your concern and adoration, Gracchus. In fact, I thank every citizen for the same love and compassion that they have already shown me recently. But as the emperor, I have the greatest duty to the empire; defending her. If Gaius and Falco have their way, the throne will be destroyed. I cannot allow that to happen.", Commodus said walking towards the throne slowly. "So please, go and join the rest of the anxious citizens in the temples at prayer for my safety and the safety of the empire."

"Please, Commodus. I beg you to do this.", the old man said softly as he inched closer to the throne. Commodus scoffed and turned away. He felt truly betrayed now at thinking the old man had absoloutely no faith in him just like all the others. "Please, my son."

At first, the young Caesar thought this was simply a term of endearment. His thoughts shifted, when Gracchus took his hand and squeezed it tightly, beginning to sob. Commodus turned and looked up at him in shock. Gracchus repeated the last three phrases and began to look desperate. Commodus drew his hand away from the old man and stood, slinking away from him. Gracchus followed, taking hold of the young man's sleeve and continuing to plead to him and referring to him as 'my son'. Commodus tried to simply walk away from him, but was forced to cease the effort to do so when Gracchus grabbed both his shoulders and turned him to face him fully. Commodus stared at the old man in fear and disbelief.

"What is wrong with you!?", Commodus exclaimed trying to push the senator away from him. Gracchus held onto him tightly. "Let go of me! Go away!"

"Hadn't you ever wondered why he didn't want you, but I came and saw to you as a boy!? Did it never strike you as odd that I embraced you while he never even looked at you?! He knew! He must have known!", Gracchus yelled. Commodus felt completely overwhelmed. He tried desperately to move away, but found himself oddly compelled to stay put. It was as if morbid curiosity was trying to scream a hundred questions at the man despite his better instincts. "I should have told you, but I didn't know what it would do to your future. I know that you will do good for Rome, Commodus. I believe in you! I have always believed in you, haven't I?"

"Get away from me!", the young man screamed louder. Gracchus held tighter. "You're upset, Gracchus. You're out of your mind with worry, that's all."

"Don't be daft! You have suspected it all your life. Perhaps not with me being the result of the inquiry, but you knew that Marcus wasn't your father. You had to have known when you came of age.", Gracchus argued. Commodus froze at the sudden realization that the old man was telling the truth. A truth, not to mention, that he hadn't shared with anyone else. Gracchus sighed and smoothed out the cloth at his shoulders before gently laying both hands there and staring deeply into the young man's eyes. "I remember the day I lost your mother. I won't lose you."

"Do not speak about my mother!!", Commodus shouted in rage. Gracchus moved backwards. Commodus was seething with anger. This was a great blow to everything he had come to believe and trust. He had been lied to all of his life if what Gracchus said was true. How dare this buligerant devil say such things about his family! Gracchus had, in times past, hurled insults against the royal family. Though, come to think of it, he had never insulted Anna Faustina or Commodus himself. The young emperor scowled and filled with an even greater anger at realizing that Gracchus had to have been telling the truth. He turned and ripped the crown off his head and hurled it accross the room, screaming at the heavens. "How dare you come in here while I am in such poor spirit and spew such atrocious falsehoods at me, you hateful old man!"

"Commodus I am trying to spare you from..."

"The hell you are! Spare me from what?! There is nothing compassionate about what you have just said, nothing helpful! How dare you!" He flew up to the old man and raised his fist, stopping just as he was about to hit him in the face just as he had done at the bust of his father. He burst into tears and lowered his arm. Gracchus stood completely amazed for a moment, trying to decide what to do next. Commodus sobbed for a few moments, then composed himself and glared at the old man as he wiped his eyes harshly. Gracchus suddenly moved to embrace the young man. "Get out of my sight.", Commodus growled at him. Gracchus froze and looked at him as if he had been stabbed through the heart. "OUT!!!"

Gracchus said nothing, but turned and left. Commodus watched and sunk to the floor. What had happened to his world!? Everything was overturning at a greater degree every hour of every day. He sobbed heavily for a few moments, then tried to gather his strength again. As he stood, the doors to the throne room opened and Galen entered. He walked up to the young emperor and bowed low, looking very worried. Commodus glared at him commandingly.

"Sire, I have discovered the components of that draught as you requested.", Galen said.

"_Demanded_.", Commodus corrected in a snarl. Galen nodded quickly.

"Of course, sire, as you _demanded_. I have told you in times past to be cautious of the draughts and embibement you consume with the weakness in your breath.", Galen said. Commodus growled low and stared hatefully at the physician. Galen cleared his throat. "Sire, this is a powerful sleeping draught that was concocted in Gaul. If you consumed it regularly, chances are you would simply fade in your sleep."

Commodus felt every ounce of strength in his muscles boil to the surface, but at the same moment he felt an unnatural calm settle over him. As is common among humans in his predicaments, he didn't quite feel the 'snap' that preceeded this. He inhaled deeply and walked over to his crown, lifting it off the floor and replacing it effortlessly on his head. He turned to Galen and smiled. Galen took a step back. He, above anyone else in the palace, recognized the loss of human inhibition. He began to shake as Commodus approached him slowly and casually passed him. The young emperor felt as calm and collected as ever, perhaps more so. The only logical course of action for him now, would be to simply go outside the city and dispatch Gaius and Falco. They needed to die so that he could talk with his sister. He missed his sister. He clenched his fists slightly as he began to wander out of the palace despite the protests of the guards that stood there. He sighed. He missed his sister so very much. She was the only one that could soothe himChapter 


	27. Breaking the Barrier

Chapter 27: Breaking the Barrier

One of the guards came running at breakneck speed into the main meeting hall of the palace. Cicero, Quintus, Maximus, Ursa, Lucius, and Gracchus had gathered to discuss a few things before they sent Lucius and Ursa out into safety. Everyone turned and gasped as the guard skidded to a halt in front of them. He panted and looked up at them frantically.

"Caesar is has left the palace, he's headed for the city gate!", the man explained between gasps for breath. A natural look of profound horror overtook everyone present. Maximus frowned and nodded to Quintus.

"Try and detain him, he's having a fit.", Quintus instructed. The guard nodded and left hurriedly. Quintus turned to Maximus and sighed. "We'd best go and help. If we can subdue him, then we can force him into hiding until we've cleared the triators out. Then he can resume his position."

"If it's still available.", Maximus corrected harshly. Quintus glared at him for a moment, but felt no urge to argue with the former commander at the moment. He turned to Ursa and Cicero. "Take the boy to your home and tell no one. The less anyone knows about this, the safer everyone involved is."

"Absoloutely.", Cicero said with a nod.

"Wait, what about Commodus? Shouldn't someone go and help the two of you bring him back? I can do that!", she offered. The two looked at her and replied 'no' in unison. Ursa stepped backwards, looking at them in anger. "Why not?"

"He's not himself right now, little bear.", Cicero explained as he took her hand. "He might try to harm anyone that approaches him; even the boy."

Ursa frowned and tried to protest as Cicero led her and Lucius away from the group. They had to act quickly or suffer incredible consequences. As the three left the palace quietly, Gracchus followed behind them at a few paces distance. He wanted to make sure that Lucius was safe, but he also wanted to be somewhere that was conveniently close to the city gates. That way he could simply slip away towards the crazed young emperor marching towards his death. Cicero settled both Ursa and Lucius into the back room to sleep and then went to the door to keep watch. Ursa looked down at the terrified prince and urged him to sleep. As soon as she was sure that he was well beneath consciousness, she walked over to the thick blanket that covered the window in the small home and pushed past it. She climbed over the wall with a great deal of effort and tumbled onto the ground. She groaned and grabbed her aching head. Shaking away the minor pains, she gathered her strength and hurried off to help retrieve Commodus.

The young emperor could hear nothing and see nothing except the area directly in front of him. His goal was outside the city, where his sister was being kept. He smiled. It wouldn't be long now. He missed her so much. He wanted nothing more than to curl up in her lap and forget the rest of the world. She had always been there to comfort him after a nightmare, and what a nightmare this had been. In this frightful dream he had been forced onto the throne, attacked repeatedly, and then confronted by senator Gracchus claiming to be his father. Wouldn't that amuse their father when he came back from Germania? He sighed and kept a steady pace towards the outside of the city. He was about halfway to the gate itself when Quintus and Maximus caught up with him.

"Commodus, stop and get back to the palace now. You're endangering yourself and your sister.", Maximus demanded. Commodus stopped and looked at him sternly.

"Maximus, I respect you. My father respects you. But I am the prince and you cannot give me orders.", the young man said folding his arms. "I am fully eleven years old. I'm not a child anymore. Now stand aside. I have had a terrible dream and I need my sister."

Maximus and Quintus stared at one another in confusion. Quintus shook his head.

"Caesar, you're not at yourself. Come back to the palace before something goes wrong.", Quintus said urgently.

"Do not toy with me Quintus. My sister is out there. I don't know why, but she is outside the palace. I need to be with her. I feel very upsetted.", Commodus replied firmly. Maximus groaned and stood over the young monarch menacingly.

"Get back to the palace now.", he ordered gruffly. Commodus frowned and scowled at him. Maximus and Quintus knew nothing about emotional trauma and the episodes that could ensue. Commodus was having a small flashback to his childhood. The young prince had been extremely violent when challenged. He snarled and reared back, punching Maximus firmly in the face. In his mind, Commodus was simply venting his anger on the man with the strength of a typical prepubescant boy. In reality, the young man was without boundaries in his strength; there were no holds on his physical strength or stamina. At the moment, he could exert himself until his body gave out. Maximus flew backwards, his nose breaking in the process. Commodus stepped backwards, amazed at himself. He smiled.

"Gracious! I didn't know I was that strong!", he exclaimed happily. Quintus stared at him in awe. Perhaps it would be best to simply let him continue on towards the gate. By the time he got there he would surely be too exhausted or would have come back to himself. He turned away from the derranged leader and rushed over to Maximus. Commodus smiled proudly and started back towards the city gates. He approached the gates as a new voice shouted to him.

"Commodus!", Ursa yelled as quietly as she could manage while still trying to get his attention. He turned to her and looked at her cautiously. "Commodus, you can't go out there by yourself! You'll be greatly outnumbered, you'll die."

"You're a very pretty young woman. What is your name?", he asked innocently. Ursa stared at him. "Are you a servant girl or are you simply a free citizen?"

"Don't be that way, Commodus. I'm sorry about what has happened between us. I really love you, I do, but you cannot be with me exclusively and I therefore cannot connect myself to you! I thought we were past all this! Please come back with me. You'll be safe. You can comfort Lucius.", Ursa argued as she came forward and took his arm.

"You're a very compassionate little girl. You'd make a wonderful nursemaid.", he said with a genuine smile. Ursa frowned and glared at him.

"What is wrong with you? What happened to your needing me?", she asked frantically.

"I don't need you. I just need my sister. Perhaps I can speak with you when I'm done with this. You're pretty enough to serve in the palace itself.", Commodus said walking past her. "Go back home."

"You ungrateful little snake! How dare you speak to me that way after everything that's happened! You should be ashamed of yourself!", Ursa shouted in frustration.

The young man ignored her and continued towards the city gates. In his mind, he had come to the conclusion that Lucilla had left the palace and was being held outside the gates. The fact that senator Gaius and senator Falco were keeping her there also flashed through his present state, but the reason eluded him. Reason wasn't a luxury he would be afforded at the moment. The only thing that mattered to him right now was getting to his sister. Everything else had been shoved to the side quite violently for the time being. He walked calmly up to the gates. The guards posted were at a complete loss as to what they should say to their emperor. It wasn't wise for him to waltz out of the city and into, what they were led to believe was, an army of traitors. Then again, they couldn't very well refuse him the right to leave either. They took hold of the gates and opened them slightly, hoping that the young man would change his mind if they moved slowly enough. No such luck, Commodus waited very patiently as the doors eased open. He nodded to the men as he walked slowly outside the city. Several miles in the distance, he could see the faint lights of an encampment flickering. His sister wasn't far at all now.

Commodus replayed several things about the past few years in his mind as he walked towards the encampment. He missed his mother terribly and his brothers, but Lucilla had been so wonderful to him. She would be married soon, and all of what they now shared would change. He hated the thought of it and bitterly cursed every suitor that came to call on her, but became at peace with the idea that he would have to grow up sooner or later. He didn't want to, but if he was ever going to assume the throne, as was expected of him, he would need to be fully an adult first. Rome had never been saddled with a 'boy-king' and never intended to be. He followed the path towards the encampment and smiled brighter as he began to feel the distant warmth of the fires. As he walked into the encampment, a horde of legionaires advanced on him. They had been a little shocked at first; but upon realizing that not only was the young Caesar alone, he was also unarmed, they moved to subdue him. Commodus groaned at the thought of having to dodge all of these men. He sighed and began to duck out of the way of the majority of them, shoving the rest to the side. Being in the frenzy that he was, he had been unable to withold any of his strength. The men that were 'shoved' to the side, in fact flew forcefully accross the ground. After the fifth instance of this, the rest of the men backed away. Whatever had taken hold of Commodus, it was powerful and vengeful. Commodus walked towards one of the three largest tents. He entered it carefully and peeked around. In one corner of the tent was a bed with a figure laying under the covers. He smiled and walked over to it.

"Lucilla?", he whispered. The figure didn't stir at all. He frowned and shook it madly. "Sister?"

The figure groaned and sat up. Commodus took a step backwards and gasped. It wasn't Lucilla, it was a strange man. He couldn't quite make out the man's face in the darkness. The man growled and reached for a dagger that lay on the bedside table. Commodus might have been an innocent little boy in his present state, but he knew when someone was out to kill. The look in the eyes and the change in the breath were universal. Commodus allowed pure instint to take over. As a boy, this would have meant freezing solid and succombing to the grisly plan this man had concocted in the past few seconds. Having been through the training as a young man to fight in the legions, yet never making it to the military, Commodus now had a different reaction. His mind blanked and he reached for the dagger itself. The man looked amazed as the young emperor took a harsh grip on the blade and wrenched it out of the man's hand. Commodus felt a rush of anger and hatred surge through him. This man had tried to kill him! He shouted as he plunged the dagger into the man's chest. The man coughed and gagged as his breath began fading. Commodus pulled the dagger away and hurried from the tent. That would teach him.

He looked at the other two large tents and walked towards the one nearest him. This one was still fairly well lit with several lamps and candles. In the middle of the floor, looking serene and timid, was Lucilla. She was sitting with her legs drawn to the side and her hands folded neatly in her lap. He smiled brightly. He raced towards her and fell onto her. Lucilla gasped and tried to scoot away. Commodus took hold of her and nearly crushed her in a forced embrace.

"Sister!', he cried happily. Lucilla finally caught hold of his shoulders. She looked into his face, horrified.

"Commodus, what are you doing out here?! You could be killed!", she exclaimed. The young man frowned and pulled her closer to him.

"Please don't be angry, Lucilla. I had a terrible dream! Please don't send me away!", Commodus exclaimed. Lucilla stared at him in confusion as he gripped her more tightly and sobbed into her chest. "I'm so frightened, sister. Look, someone tried to kill me!"

With that, the young man held the blood-coated dagger aloft. Lucilla gasped and gave a small shriek. She didn't notice any wounds on her brother, but there was an enormous amoung of blood on the blade itself and the hilt. Commodus sniffed and leaned away from her.

"Brother...I...", she stammered. She stared at him as he began to cry softly. She stared at him in total confusion for a moment. She had no idea what the best thing for her to do would be. She sighed and pulled him to her. H situated himself in her lap and snuggled close to her. She sighed and rocked him slightly. He was obviously off his horse for the moment. "It's alright brother. It's only a dream."

"I'm so frightened, sister.", he muttered. "Sing to me."

Lucilla tensed. She looked down at her younger brother. He must have really gone off the deep end this time. She wondered who had suffered the wrath at the edge of the dagger he had held up for her a moment ago. She sighed and smoothed his hair down, kissing the top of his head affectionately. She sang a small song their mother had composed when he had been born. There was really nothing else to do for the time being. Lucilla and Commodus sat quietly, all but ignoring the dangers that were just outside the canvas of the tent. She smiled at the impromptu peace she was experiencing. If it hadn't been for the fact that she was sure they were going to die that night, she might have truly enjoyed this little bit of nostalgia. She was also just as sure that her brother was feeling the same way. Even with his common sense abandoned, she loved her brother very much. He shifted and looked into her eyes. She smiled at him.

"Better?', she asked. His eyes suddenly widened. He began to tremble and look around nervously. Lucilla felt the serenity that had settled over them shatter. Commodus had snapped back to reality and reality was about to get violent.


	28. Facing the Greater of Two Evils

Chapter 28: Facing the Greater of Two Evils

Commodus looked up at Lucilla in fear. She frowned at noticing that he was back to his senses. Commodus scooted away from her and tried to regain his bearings. He looked around the tent frantically. Lucilla tried to move towards her brother and calm him a little. The chain around her left ankle prevented her from getting close enough once he had made it to the door to peek out. He gasped and rushed back over to her. He stared at her in terror.

"Lucilla, am I outside the city?", he asked as his voice shook. She nodded. He looked away, his eyes quivering in anxiety. "Oh dear."

"Brother, you have been very brave up til now. Don't give in to your fears just yet.", she instructed. "There's still more for you to accomplish."

"What have I done? I'm going to die...tonight!", he exclaimed. Lucilla frowned at him. He turned to her and glared at her. "You tried to kill me!"

"I never!", Lucilla said defensively. Commodus glared more deeply at her.

"That draught you've been giving me is too potent, it was killing me. Galen studied it for me and told me so.", he declared folding his arms. "You really have had it out for me."

"No I haven't! That draught was a gamble, I'll give you that. Gaius wanted me to give you poisons, but I refused and came up with the recipe for the draught. It appeased him.", Lucilla replied. "I knew you were too strong to succomb to the draught to the point of death! Even as an infant your body fought poisons, illness, and potions. I knew that you would live, I had faith in you!"

Commodus stared at her in confsuion for a moment. His sister seemed genuine. He scooted a little closer to her and looked deeply into her eyes. "You were there when I was a small boy. You watched over Titus and I when we were in need.", he said softly at remembering Tertullian's words. "Did you think me strong then?"

Lucilla looked at her younger brother as if he had just taken the blade from the floor and jabbed it into her chest fully. She had been the eldest surviving child of Marcus Aurelius and Anna Faustina. This had displeased the man somewhat since there had been five children before her, all dead, and five after; again all dead. When the joyous occasion of the birth of the twins, Commodus and Titus, had come to pass; Marcus had supposed in secret that the two boys were not his, but had said nothing and remained unmoved by his suspicions. He was simply glad to have two survivng heirs to the throne. Commodus and Titus were soon found to have had weakened lungs and hearts because of their mother's illness during pregnancy. Marcus had noted that Commodus looked alot less like him than Titus. The derranged old man had decided to himself that Titus was from his seed and that Commodus had been from his wife's lover. Marcus arranged to give Titus a proceedure that would strengthen him. After the surgery, he and his young twin had contracted the plague. Because Titus had been weakened by the proceedure, the child had died. Commodus had basic memory of his brother, but nothing more. Lucilla had been the unfortunate person charged with watching over the two in their crib late one night, the night Titus had died. It was a terrible thing for the little prince to awaken to the cold, still body of his other half. Marcus had been hateful after the boy's death, he had truly had some measure of love for Titus. He blamed Commodus for the rest of his life and vowed to tear what he held dearest to his heart away from him at the very last just as he claimed he had done to him. Marcus had believed, like the silly man he was, that Commodus held ruling the empire closest to his heart. Had Marcus been blessed with full brain power, he would have seen that nature took away what Commodus had truly loved once and then denied it to him through the coldness of his father. Lucilla looked down, choking slightly.

"I didn't know what to do for him. I didn't hear him cry, or moan, or cease breathing. I don't know what I could have done to save him.", Lucilla said softly. Commodus continued to stare at her. "I did want to rule, Commodus. I can't lie about that. We're about to die, so you might as well know the truth. I have been terribly jealous of you for years. I wished madly that you had never been born."

Commodus moved backwards. He stared at his older sister in disbelief. She raised her focus to him, anger surging through her.

"But I don't now. I haven't for years. I love you, I never wanted to hurt you.", she said wiping a few tears away. "Gaius is a third cousin of our father. There are no other male relatives that close to him. He would be in line for the throne in the event of your demise. He cornered me. He threatened to expose me. He threatened Lucius."

"Expose you for what?", Commodus asked. He was feeling truly confused now. Lucilla's words were mixed and made very little sense. Perhaps she was suffering an episode just as he had.

"I killed our father.", she said plainly.

Ursa moved towards the city gates and watched through the small opening at what had happened to Commodus. She was infuriated that she had given her innocence to a man that had not taken her in marraige. She was more angry with herself than him. She felt as though that in the single action of passion, she had disappointed her brother, her friends, and the cause all at once. Still, she did truly love Commodus. She couldn't bare to think of anything unpleasant happening to him. She inched out through the gates and listened closely to three of the men that walked around the encampment.

"They said he just barged into senator Falco's tent and hasn't come out yet. I haven't heard anything.", one of them said.

"Falco isn't the main concern, Gaius was very specific; we guard him and Lady Lucilla above all. We weren't able to watch her a moment ago with all that commotion, but we must keep our forces focused until we march against the capital.", the second said firmly. "Besides, we had the newer recruits watching Falco. They didn't even follow after him when he bolted away. That would suit the little coward to show up and then hurry back to the safety of his palace."

"I say we go into the tent anyway. It wouldn't make Gaius happy to lose someone before we even begin this.", the third muttered. "No one will know if we're quiet enough. There's no light in the tent, so he should still be sleeping."

"Then why go in and bother him in the first place, half wit?", the first chastised as he hit his cohort on the arm.

"If you ask me, I think Gaius might be expecting somekind of evil to befall Falco. Why else would his tent be so close to the edge of our bivouac?", the third replied angrily. "I say we go in and make sure that nothing has happened and that Commodus is gone."

Ursa gathered resolve within herself and slunk past the three of them towards the centre of the encampment. She prayed silently repeatedly that Commodus was unharmed and simply biding his time in outside the encampment somewhere. She watched the three men walk slowly into Falco's tent. They complained and laughed quietly as they moved into the darkened canvas covering. She moved closer to the tent and looked around for any other patrol men. The three had been right, there were very few people at this part of the encampment to keep watch over Falco's tent. Ursa scoffed silently at the realization that there really was no honour among thieves and murderers. Gaius had been the cause of several evils according to Tertullian and Commodus. She, like the rest of the recent group of aquaintances in the palace, had been informed of Gaius being behind the documents that had detailed vulgar freedoms being given to legionaires. He had also been behind all but three of the orders for increased arrests and executions. Ursa slunk even closer, approaching the tent. She hid herself behind a grouping of crates and barrells holding supplies for the traitors. She waited patiently to hear what the consensus was for Commodus's presence in the camp. If Falco had been awakened at all by his presence, then the cruel and rather paranoid senator would have demanded that Commodus be followed. Somehow, Ursa imagined that if Commodus had stayed near the camp at all, then he wouldn't be able to keep very quiet. If Commodus could be associated with one fatal flaw, it was impatience. He wouldn't be able to bide his time for very long if he knew that the enemy was sleeping and unarmed.

"Murderer! Intruder! Senator Falco is dead!", the three began shouting. "The emperor is in the encampment, find him!"

Ursa gasped. She didn't think Commodus capable of something like murder. She moved to the left behind the wooden boxes and barrells. She watched as the three men bolted from the tent and gathered their fellow soldiers to frantically search for the young Caesar. Ursa felt herself smile. Murder was never acceptable, but Commodus had to have been defending his own life. He was incredibly brave, especially in the face of adversity. She moved a little closer to the tent and whispered a little loudly for him. The rest of the men seemed to be focused on the central part of the camp. The troops began to spread out towards the edge of the camp and search more closely. Ursa gulped. She needed to move away from the tent and get back towards the gates. Perhaps the three had been right, perhaps Commodus had tried to get back to the palace. Although, she had been waiting by the gate and surely would have seen him if he had tried to get back. She frowned. There was no time for her to try and think about where he was at the moment. If she stayed any longer then she might as well have run herself through, Gaius was not going to keep captives except perhaps Lucilla. Even so, Ursa shuddered at thinking that Lucilla would soon meet the same end as the majority of the royal family.

"You! What are you doing there? Stand up and don't move!", a voice behind her suddenly yelled. Ursa turned around. She looked up at the enormous legionaire standing over her. She gulped and tried to bolt past him. The man snarled and gripped both her shoulders. "Stay still, prisoner!"

"Did you find him?", the first soldier from earlier said as he walked up behind the two. The legionaire holding Ursa turned and jerked her harshly.

"No, sir. Just this girl.", the soldier replied.

"She might be a spy. Bring her, we'll talk to senator Gaius.", the first said as he turned and walked towards the centre of the camp once more. Ursa tried to fight and shake the man away from her furiously. The man kept a firm grip on the young girl as he followed the other legionaire.

Commodus looked at Lucilla in sheer shock and fear. "You did what?", he whispered.

"I killed our father.", she admitted softly.

"Why?", Commodus demanded angrily. It didn't matter whether or not anyone else could hear him at the moment.

"Father was talking about killing Maximus's family. I heard him as he was filling out the document. I'm not sure what happened to it, but I kept him from signing it.", she explained.

"How on earth did you kill him? The surgeons said that it was natural, that he faded in his sleep.", Commodus stammered.

"I confronted him about the document. He began to threaten to have me exiled, so I hit him as harshly as I could. He fell over and didn't get back up.", Lucilla said between tears. "I didn't mean to kill him! Senator Gaius came in a moment after I had tried to rouse him, but I couldn't wake him. Gaius promised to keep it a secret if I would help him assume the throne. I didn't think he would want me to harm you! After all, father was planning to give the throne over to Maximus, he just never had the opportunity to do it."

"I wouldn't be so sure of either of those. Father did complete the document you speak of, and I was asked to sign it. I should have read through it first, but regret isn't going to fix what's been done.", he muttered. "That aside, Lucilla, you couldn't have killed father. You have a good force behind your arm, but it isn't enough to kill anyone even a decrepit old man."

"But he wasn't moving! I'm sure that he was dead!", Lucilla exclaimed as she began to cry loudly. Commodus took her shoulders in either hands.

"Peace, sister!", he whispered urgently. "We cannot be discovered, both of us will die and then so will Lucius." She sniffed and looked up at him. "Something about this doesn't seem right. Hold still, I'll try to disarm the lock on these shackles. We can deal with the rest of this at home. I do not think you are guilty of his blood, Lucilla. I have faith in you as well." Commodus pulled the skeleton key from a pocket and tried it. The locks clicked open, freeing his sister. The two smiled at each other for a moment. The men outside began to yell for the soldiers to look for the emperor. Both tensed and turned towards the door of the tent. Commodus moved to hide with his sister when he suddenly heard a familiar voice.

"Let me go! Help!", Ursa screamed. Commodus felt a sharp pain in his chest and a bitter taste in the back of his mouth. The soldiers had taken Ursa captive. He had to fight them no matter what he needed to sacrifice. He sighed and looked at Lucilla once more. He leaned forward and kissed her cheek before hurrying towards the tent door. It was time to truly test his strength and courage.


	29. The Confession of Gaius

Chapter 29: The Confession of Gaius

Ursa struggled madly with her captors. The legionaire holding her had asked for assistance and now two of them were trying to force Ursa towards Gaius's tent. Commodus raced out of the tent with Lucilla as one of them took a flog and raised his arm to strike her. Commodus growled and stood a few feet in front of them, trying desperately to be intimidating.

"Hey!", he yelled. The men turned and glared at him. Ursa stood completely still as the legionaires stopped moving and remained still in confusion. "Unhand my wife!"

The men began to laugh scornfully at the young emperor. Ursa felt her jaw drop instinctively. Commodus remained standing perfectly still, fists clenched and at the ready. Ursa suddenly growled at the men holding her and threw her elbows into their abdomens. The two men doubled over and groaned in pain.

"What did you say?", she demanded. A soldier attacked Commodus from the left side. Commodus threw a fierce punch into the man's face. He turned to her, breathing heavily.

"You heard me. They obeyed, me.", Commodus replied. Ursa frowned at him.

"Did you call me your wife?", she demanded.

Another two soldiers attacked the young monarch from the right. Commodus turned and ducked, throwing two simultaneous punches into the men's faces. They flew backwards, landing in front of another set of troops. Commodus glared at them.

"Stay there for a moment.", he ordered and turned back to Ursa. "Yes, I did. You are my wife, it was my decision to do so several days ago."

"Why wasn't I informed of it!?", Ursa demanded crossing her arms. Three more soldiers accosted the young man, this time with weapons drawn. Commodus groaned and reached down, picking up the blade of one of the fallen soldiers.

"I hardly think now is the time or the place!", Commodus shouted as he crossed the blade accross two of the attacker's swords. He moved his right hand over and grabbed the hilt of the third's blade, bashing him in the face with the butt of the hilt. Commodus swiped to the side with his sword, dissarming one of the men. He swung back up at the final blade, causing it to fly out of the man's hand and land in front of Ursa. "I thought I was fairly clear with you as to my feelings at the very beginning.", he grunted as he used both fists to once again hit two men in the face at once.

"Of course I didn't know! I was overcome with lust, that's all.", Ursa shouted back. One of the three soldiers managed to stand and stare at Commodus for a moment. He chuckled suggestively at his ruler and gave a half smile. Commodus growled and hit the man firmly on the jaw. "I am absoloutely disgusted with myself!"

"You should be! You ran out of the room while I was trying to be tender with you!", Commodus shouted angrily. Four more of the legionaires attacked. These men were armed with swords and attacked from either side. Commodus let out a low growl that raised into a loud scream. He took two more blades from the fallen soldiers at his feet. Now armed with two blades, the young emperor swung both around in an impressive display of strength. The soldiers hesitated as Commodus turned back to Ursa. "Couldn't we discuss this at home?!"

"Fine! If you want to venture all the way out to my home and speak with me, then you can call on me when you're ready to apologize!"

"For what!?", he shouted. The men advanced on him. He turned and glared at them. "Stay where you are or I'll castrate all of you at once!"

"For taking my innocence, you fool!", Ursa shouted indignantly.

"I don't recall you asking me to stop! I asked you if you were ready and willing every step of the way!", Commodus replied enraged. "In fact, if I recall correctly you told me that you were mine and you wanted me to take you!"

"Do you think you own everything!?!"

"_**YES**_! I'm Caesar!", he shouted madly. He turned to the rest of the men. "Oh, get it over with!"

The four men hesitated. Commodus growled and moved to attack them. The soldiers stood back and watched as Commodus took both blades and swung them at the men. The four scattered.

"This is exactly why I didn't want to fall in love with you!", Ursa shouted through tears. "You can never be my husband without being my superior first!"

"Stop being dramatic! You're my wife and there's nothing I would change about that!", Commodus yelled towards her. She stared at him silently. "I haven't been given an opportunity to be a good emperor or a good husband! Can't you give me time? I can't say that we're equals, Ursa. That would be arrogant. You risked your life and innocence to help the people you love. I could never be that brave."

"Of course you couldn't.", an oily voice behind him said. Commodus turned, dropping both blades. "Sieze him.", Gaius ordered. Commodus was far too stunned and already exhausted to try and pick up the blades before six large men took hold of him. He glared at the old senator as Gaius motioned towards Lucilla and Ursa. Four men took hold of the two of them and gathered the three in a group. Gaius smiled.

"Men, I give you the opportunity to prove your loyalty and remove any need to execute you.", Commodus stated firmly. "Release my wife, my sister, and my person and you will all be pardoned."

The majority of the men began to laugh hatefully. Commodus glared at them. One of them stepped forward and drew his sword.

"You heard the em-m-m-m-mperor. Release them at on-n-n-n-nce.", the young man stuttered. The men laughed even harder. Commodus was moved deeply. Obviously this young man had joined the military because there was nowhere else for him. He had a terrible speech problem, but a very brave heart. If he survived this, he would have to take special note of this young man. Gaius nodded towards the young man. Three of his fellow soldiers hit the side of his head, knocking him to the ground. Gaius smiled. The rest of the soldiers chuckled and tightened their grip on the captives.

"Pity. I thought we had weeded out all of the simpering weaklings.", Gaius mused. "No matter, now we can get down to what is truly important for the time being. Clearing the throne for a better emperor. One who appreciates the hard work and dedication it takes to be a professional warrior. Imagaine men, absoloute freedom in the ranks."

"No one has absoloute freedom, not even me.", Commodus countered angrily.

"Well, you don't anymore. Then again, you never quite understood your position on the throne. You have yet to pass a truly edgy edict, after all.", Gaius said cruelly. "Well, at least not one that was an original idea of yours."

"I'll give you the same opportunity, Gaius. Surrender and you will simply be exiled.", Commodus offered. Gaius and the rest of the men laughed even harder and even colder than ever before. "Very well, I see you would rather do things a harder way."

"Commodus, there was nothing I loved more than watching your father tear into you as a child. You were so well behaved every time the old fool flogged you.", Gaius said with a wicked smile. "In fact, before I kill you I think I should enjoy that once more."

"Leave him alone!", Ursa shouted. The soldiers holding onto her hit into her abdomen, causing her to reel forwards for a moment, crying out in agony.

The men laughed a little louder. Gaius clapped his hands and pointed to one of the large posts that held the ropes with the horses. The men holding onto Commodus dragged him over to the post and forced his hands above his head, binding them tightly to the post as he faced the wooden prison. Two of them each took hold of the top of his garments and ripped them in half, leaving his back and chest bare. He breathed heavily. Gaius approched him, calling for a whip. Commodus felt a massive chill rip through him and a sickness wash over him. He remembered the pain and humility that had been thrust upon him every time he had been subjected to this as a boy. Gaius smiled and raised his arm behind him.

"Do you realize the irony of this, Commodus? I'll be taking your father's place in two areas.", the old man said as he brought the whip down onto the youth's back. Commodus grunted loudly, holding back a scream as the sting of the leather tore his flesh. "Humiliating you and then taking the throne, a duet of wonderful accomplishments, don't you agree?"

"You will never take the throne, Gaius. The fates aren't that cruel.", Commodus breathed loudly. Gaius laughed and brought the whip against the young emperor once more.

"You should reserve your strength, highness. This is going to take a while, and resistance isn't in your family.", Gaius chided. He struck the emperor with the whip again, causing an even louder grunt from Commodus. The young emperor allowed a few harsh tears to drip down his face. "Marcus gave out after only a few brief moments of my suffocating him. Then again your sister had done a fairly good job of making sure that I would be able to do him in. Still, I really wished I could have seen the look on the old man's face as I choked the life out of him. Pity. No resistance whatsoever."

As the whip hit the young man a fourth time, Commodus felt an insatiable rage in his veins. It began boiling at a speed unmatched by any horse in the empire. He screamed in sheer anger and ripped the ropes binding his wrists together. His hands were freed, but bleeding slightly at the wrists. Gaius took a step backwards as Commodus advanced on him.

"You killed Marcus. That's what started all of this! You killed him, then told me to sign the document that killed Maximus's family. Then you threatened my sister and nephew and began plotting to kill me thorougly! You passed all of those edicts issuing unjust arrests and executions!", Commodus shouted as he raised his fist at the old man. "You are beyond evil!"

"And what are you going to do about it? You haven't the strength to fend off all of these men and then deal with me!", Gaius retorted. Commodus walked closer to the man and snarled at him. Gaius frowned a little, beginning to show fear.

"What's the matter, Gaius? Are you afraid of me?", Commodus chided with a slight smile. Gaius stood still and looked to either side of him. After having seen their exhausted young emperor break free of new ropes even while in pain, none of them wanted to suffer whatever was building within the young man. His eyes were positively glowing with rage. The soldiers stood back, a few of them still keeping hold of Lucilla and Ursa. "Come on, Gaius. You wanted to take my father's place, didn't you? Come here and do what the cowardly old fool didn't get a chance to. End my life and watch me die."

Gaius stared at the youth in stunned silence for a moment. Commodus smiled brightly. Gaius was, in fact, too terrified to face the emperor on an equal level. Commodus moved even closer. Gaius took a sword from one of the nearby legionaires and held it in front of him. Commodus breathed heavily and then stepped to the side, taking hold of the defensive young soldier's blade. He nodded toward the brave warrior before turning back to Gaius. He knew exactly what needed to be done and that he did in fact have the strength to carry it out at last.


	30. Grief Becomes Anger Begets Hatred Besets

Chapter 30: Grief Becomes Anger Begets Hatred Besets Fatality

The soldiers moved further away from Gaius and Commodus, giving the two enemies plenty of room. The legionaires holding onto Ursa and Lucilla pulled them to the farthest corner of the space given the men. This would ensure the safety of the two young women no matter what. The soldier that had defended the emperor stood in front of both of them, sword at the ready to strike down Gaius should he attack them. Commodus spun the blade in one hand and circled Gaius. Gaius moved backwards fearfully, simply holding the blade in front of him. His heart beat madly inside his chest, sending a thundering pulse through the rest of his body. He had uncovered so much in the past few moments and remained comparitively calm.

He breathed as slowly as he could manage despite his pounding heart. He felt his vision begin to change with the pain he was still experiencing from the whipping he had endured. He groaned slightly, hissing as he breathed in. The pain was causing everything to become a blur. He shouted commands at his eyes and heart as Gaius continued to back away in fear. Commodus demanded them to centre themselves and remain composed for the battle to come. He drew in one more deep breath as a gust of cold air nipped at the exposed wounds. Commodus felt darkness take him. He shouted in frustration and slashed at the darkness. He suddenly felt the sword's tip touch some kind of fabric and tear it in half. As his blade moved down, the air in front of him became clear.

He was now standing in his father's tent in Germania. The old man sat bent over a parchment, writing emotionlessly. Commodus watched him in shock for a moment. He moved closer to the old man. Marcus glanced to the side, taking note of the youth. He scoffed and turned back to the parchment. Commodus cleared his throat, fighting back a torrent of sorrow.

"Father?", he whispered. Marcus continued writing. Commodus choked for a moment and inched even closer. "Father?", he repeated.

"What do you need, Commodus?", the old man rasped as he turned to face him. Commodus felt frozen in a violent combination of fear and anger. The two stared at one another silently for a moment more. Marcus chuckled cruelly and turned back to the writing. "Go back to your quarters."

"Father, am I dead?", Commodus stammered. Marcus growled softly and glared at his only heir.

"Conversely speaking, boy, the fates are not that _kind_.", Marcus retorted. Commodus froze again. Had his father heard the remark that he had made to Gaius a moment ago? He couldn't remember his father behaving this cruelly since he had been in his teen years. Marcus had grown comparitively mild in his twilight years. Commodus had been thankful for it, but had been unable to have a good and healthy love betwixt his father and himself. Commodus had never been quite sure of what it was that his father hated about him, but he had several theories.

"Father...", Commodus said reaching for his father's face as the old man had done after telling his son about his decision to appoint Maximus as a regent over Rome. Marcus recoiled looking a thousand times more disgusted and indignant than Commodus had at his father's gesture. Commodus felt a stab in his throat at this. He clenched his fist in mid air and growled at the man. "What did I do to you? What did I ever do to _**YOU**_!?"

Marcus laughed cruelly at his son. Commodus snarled and lowered his fist.

"You didn't believe Gracchus, did you? After all those years of wondering who you really were and why I never wanted you?", the old man spat. "You knew he was telling the truth. You always knew you were a product of a roayl whore's lusts."

"NO!!", Commodus shouteed angrily, throwing a full punch into the old man's face. Marcus flew backwards a little and then looked up at his son, laughing. "She loved you. She had nothing but love for anyone! My mother was an honourable woman!"

"She was true to the desires of her heart.", Marcus scoffed. "There's little honour in that. The heart is weak. You are weak."

"NO!", Commodus shouted madly again. He took the former ruler in one hand and lifted him in front of him. "I was always stronger! That was why you hated me! I was stronger than you! Stonger in body, in spirit, in mind, and in purity!"

"You call courting several women without fulfilling desire pure? Ha! At least having concubines is an honest way to prove your masculinity. No lies, no pretense. Courting is pointless.", Marcus remarked. Commodus tensed even more. "Pretense seems to be a prominent feature of yours. Standing proudly before the military and the senate like you truly know what you're doing under that crown. You lie to everyone around you as well as yourself."

"Stop it!", the youth shouted at the old man.

"Admit it, you serve no purpose. You should have died in Titus's stead. Titus was loved, Titus was mourned. No one will mourn for you!", Marcis snarled. Commodus dropped the old man and lifted the blade once more. He saw fire flickering around him, casting familiar shadows. It felt like being back in the chamber where he had truly met Ursa. He clenched the blade tightly and glared at his father, waiting for the right moment. "You can't even command the respect of your own wife."

"I live for Ursa Luna! That _is_ my purpose!", he shouted defiantly. "You never knew what I will savour for a lifetime you fool!" Commodus lost all control and began to swing aimlessly at the old man. He saw pieces of marble flying to either side alongside sprays of blood. The once proud visage that was Marcus Aurelius was being diminished to nothing but rubble and gore. Commodus was somewhat confused as to why blood coursed from the stone. His father's bust and body were now in pieces on the ground. The rage within him was at its peak, making anything possible until he would mercifully lose consciousness. He stood, still swinging the sword at the pile of mangled hate and sorrow. A hand suddenly grasped his shoulder.

"Commodus, stop!", a voice shouted. Commodus whirled around and reared back to punch the intruder. He stopped immediately at recognizing the face of Ursa. She stared at him in awe and pity. He relaxed and breathed heavily and began trembling. She looked deeply into his eyes, embracing his soul with her warm gaze. "He's dead, Commodus. It's over."

The young emperor fell into his wife, weeping madly. Ursa knelt, holding onto him. Commodus allowed himself to drift away softly in her arms. She held him tightly to her and breathed quietly.

"I am strong. I am courageous. I am honourable.", he muttered. Ursa smiled slightly. "He was wrong, he was always wrong about me."

"Yes, Commodus. You are all of those things.", Ursa soothed. "Once you've gathered more of your strength we can head home."

Commodus looked up at the rest of the legionaires standing by. His eyes filled with admiration and relief at seeing Quintus and Maximus approach him. The Praetorians and soldiers that had been loyal to him gathered around the rest of the men and held their weapons aloft, as did several hundreds of citizens. Commodus smiled and regained his composure. Unfortunately, his strength did not accompany it and he remained on the ground with Ursa. Cicero forced his way through the crowd that had arrived and took hold of Ursa's shoulders. The two embraces as tightly as they could.

"Are you alright?", the young servant asked softly. Ursa smiled at him. He breathed a heavy sigh of relief and then turned his gaze forward. Cicero turned pale and looked as though he had just witnessed the merciless slaughter of a young lamb. "What on earth happened here?"

"Commodus finished him.", Ursa explained. Cicero looked over the bloody pile again before turning away.

"Thoroughly.", the young man muttered. Commodus stared at Cicero in confusion for a moment. He couldn't readily recall what had just happened. He turned and glimpsed at what Cicero was seeing. He wretched for a moment, turning his head away from Ursa to do so. Commodus squeezed his eyes shut, trying to blot out the sight of Gaius's mangled remains. He hadn't been standing before his father, he had been facing Gaius. He gripped Ursa tightly and felt a warmth overtake him. The world went dark and his mind began to rest. Cicero looked down at the youth and cocked one brow. "Well, he seems to be spent."

"We need to get him back to the palace. How is Lucius? Where is he?", Ursa asked. Cicero pointed towards the rest of the group. Lucilla stood several feet away, embracing her son as though it would be her last chance to do so. The loyal soldiers and citizens had the traitors cornered as Maximus ordered for them to be arrested. Ursa quickly told Quintus about the brave legionaire who had tried to defend the emperor. Quintus nodded and had the man seperated from the group. "Will you help me take him back?"

"Aye. He needs to see Galen. Those wounds on his back look deep.", Cicero remarked as he helped lift Commodus's lifeless form from the ground.

"They run deeper than you know, Cicero.", Ursa said sadly. She looked at the peaceful face of her beloved. She smiled and helped as they began to carry him back to the palace.

Cicero said nothing. He wondered if Commodus had told Ursa of his plans for her. Surely if she was still feeling this strongly for him then he must have. He decided it best to say nothing about it and simply walk back into the city. The group began to head slowly back for the imperial dwelling. Commodus would recover without a doubt, but Cicero wondered if Ursa would still stand beside him after this.


	31. Figures of the Past and Powers of the

Chapter 31: Figures of the Past and Powers of the Future

Ursa sat beside the large bed in the imperial bedchamber. She sighed and looked over her charge once more. Commodus seemed to simply be sleeping peacefully for the moment. She took inventory of the different scratches and so on that still covered him. She frowned and waited for Galen to arrive. The old physician arrived only seconds after the two had settled in. Cicero had left the emperor with his sister and gone to see about Maximus and Quintus. Ursa watched as Galen turned the young man over to examine the rest of his wounds more extensively. Galen winced at the site of the marks on his back.

"He'll have more scarring, that's for sure.", Galen muttered.

"More scarring? What was there before?", Ursa asked. Galen set down his satchel of tools and supplies and pulled out the equipment necessary to concoct a salve for the young monarch.

"Commodus was a bit of an obstinate little thing as a boy. The only method that truly got him to behave when he started becoming vocal about his inner thoughts and feelings was being whipped. His father found that out when he was about nine years of age.", Galen replied. Ursa coughed. Nine years old? That was a truly cruel and hurtful thing to do to such a young child. Galen put several leaves, two measures of a root, a white powder, and animal fat into a mortar. He looked over the young man again as he mixed it. "The good news is, this time it seems to be fairly superficial, just very thorough. The marks are long and fairly wide for something like this, but not too deep. The incidents as a boy left him without a substantial amount of blood. There were three occassions I can count where I was afraid of losing the boy."

"That's just awful.", Ursa said softly. She couldn't bring anything else to mind to comment on it. She watched Commodus begin to shift as Galen applied the salve. He groaned and grasped the bedclothes tightly. Ursa could clearly see that he was still unconscious for the most part, but he was feeling the wounds being compromised. She turned away, but took hold of one hand carefully. He relaxed a little, squeezing her hand with minimal strength. Ursa smiled and tightened her grip in return. "Are his episodes over? I heard that when he had been walking out to the encampment he was not himself and then fighting Gaius he seemed to just fade into another setting in his eyes. He looked positively fierce."

"Caesar has suffered many wounds to both his person and his psyche this evening. I do not forsee any more episodes for him unless something truly drastic happens in the next few moments.", Galen replied. He finished applying the salve and then took out some new linen strips to bind the wounds. He turned to Ursa. "If it's not too much trouble, I will need some help."

Before Ursa could walk over and help the older man, the doors to the chamber swung open. Quintus, accompanied by Cicero, walked into the room and bowed. Cicero frowned at seeing the pathetic form of the battered royal. Galen looked up at the two.

"How is he?", Quintus asked.

"He will live, but I'm trying to stave off infection and keep his pain under control. You, you can help me.", Galen said pointing to Cicero. "Just sit him up so I can bind these wounds. The salve must stay on them for at least a day."

Cicero didn't bother to refuse this time. It was pointless to do so with Ursa sitting right there. Besides, Commodus had risked his life to save Ursa if the accounts from the rest of the soldiers and Lucilla were to be believed. Everyone present had sworn that Commodus had advanced on Gaius declaring his need for the girl and then cut down the old senator before he could try and harm her again. They also recanted the fact that two specific soldiers had hit her harshly before the emperor had been able to free himself from the men that took him prisoner momentarily. Cicero had been shown to the men before they had arrived back at the prisons. What was left of them was carried into a cell with their compatriots. Galen bound the wounds carefully. Had either of them not known what had just transpired, than it would simply seem to them that the emperor had suffered a wound in battle. Galen poured a mixture from a vial into a small glass and set it on the bedside table. He turned to the siblings and sighed.

"Does he need that?", Ursa asked moving towards Commodus slowly.

"He will when he comes around in a moment. I'll be back in a moment. I need to check on Lady Lucilla and her son.", Galen stated as he gathered his things. "Just be sure he drinks that as soon as he opens his eyes fully."

"We will.", Cicero said as Galen exited the room. The young manservant sighed and turned to his sister. "How are you? Are you feeling faint?"

"No, Cicero. Just a little tired. Everything happened so quickly.", she said sitting down beside Commodus on the bed. "How did Maximus and Quintus manage to gather so many people so quickly to aide them? They must have had three hundred citizens at the encampment."

Cicero smiled. "Quintus sent off fifty of the remaining loyal men. They each rallied two men, those rallied two, and then a third branch rallied two more. By the time they were finished, there were plenty of men to fight. Even the majority of the private citizens come in handy in skirmages; or at least Maximus thinks so. They just need to know how to follow orders."

"I'm glad you came. I was terrified.", Ursa said as she grabbed her brother around the waist and buried her head in his chest, sighing with relief. "Commodus seemed so intense. He just swung at Gaius over and over again screaming in rage. I've never seen anything like it."

"I have.", Cicero muttered. Serving Maximus meant seeing some of the wounded soldiers from time to time. Some of them, upon regaining consciousness, remained in the battle in their own minds. "When someone feels threatened, I understand that they can simply escape to another time and place that they feel they can handle a little more, or make right. Many of Maximus's commrades fell prey to it."

"Then he will come around again?", Ursa asked in concern.

"Of course. He may feel a little more strenght than before now that he has proven to himself that his body can function without his mind.", Cicero added with amusement. "In fact, I'd wager that his temper will be worse now. He'll have to work much harder to control it."

Ursa frowned and looked at her brother with worry. He stared back with greater concern. He took her hand and stood away from the bed with her. Ursa felt her face begin to tremble and a few tears stream down her face. Cicero moved his hand towards her and gently wiped them away.

"Let's go home. Everything is set to right now.", Ursa said softly. Cicero stared down at his baby sister in confusion. She had been adamant about saving the emperor and she wasn't going to wait for him to recover? That didn't seem like her. Ursa usually wanted to make sure that everything was stable before leaving something that had perked her compassion. Cicero remembered her staying in the infirmary with a few soldiers in Germania. Cicero hadn't allowed her to see very many of them, and neither had the physicians, but the ones that she did manage to look in on stayed under her watchful eye until they were able to walk out away from the bed where they were lying. Ursa was never one to simply slip away. Then again, if what she had said about her activities with the young emperor in the catacombs were true, then she had already slipped away from the royal many times.

"Are you sure? Don't you want to make sure he wakes again?", Cicero said softly. Ursa shook her head. "What about the potion Galen left with us?"

"We can leave his instructions with the Praetorians or another servant. I need to go home.", Ursa repeated more firmly. Cicero sighed and nodded to the girl. Obviously, Commodus hadn't told her that he planned to marry her. This was to their advantage. Comodus did not know where they lived and would have difficulty getting around that area of the city without a guide. If that stayed true, then Ursa and he could escape him if he ever called on her. Brave beyond measure or not, Cicero did not want his sister to be the recieving end of a royal marriage. He had seen what it did to Lady Faustina and had been anything but pleased with it. The emperor was not required to treat anyone with kindness and his wife was one of the few peoples that would be with him in private; making her the ideal target for any unresolved disappointments. Commodus had already proved to have a terrible temper. Ursa had managed to calm him on occasion, apparently, but that would mean little if she were his wife and not simply a tender servant girl. Cicero did not want his sister to be either any longer.

"Then let's go.", Cicero said as he lifted her hand and started towards the door. Ursa turned and took one last look at Commodus. She had accomplished her goal. She had saved the young royal's life and cleared his name. She sighed. She had fallen in love with him. Love wasn't something royals were permitted to show freely. Duty and propriety kept them from it. She tried to distract her mind and heart from demanding that she go back to his side and stay put until he came around and they could be married. She should never have allowed herself to become intimate with him on any level. She breathed deeply as she and her brother walked up to the door and walked out into the hall. One of the servants standing by the door bowed to them. Lucilla had made it clear that Ursa and Cicero were close friends of her brother and should be treated with a great amount of respect. Ursa looked at the young man and spoke quietly.

"The emperor is asleep for the moment. Galen wishes for him to be given the potion on the table by his bed as soon as he awakens in a little while.", she instructed. The servant nodded. "Go and make sure he gets it. He will need to be watched for a few hours to make sure his breathing stays strong."

The servant looked at her inquisitively for a moment. After a brief second, he nodded to her and entered the room. Ursa looked up at Cicero, sorrow plainly covering her face. He could readily recall a sweet little girl that he had tended to all of her life. He had been able to soothe any fear or pain for her; now he was unsure and relatively helpless to do so. He missed the child that had been his sole focus for his adult life, the young girl that had been his reason for exsistance. He took her hand once more and began to lead the way out of the palace. Tertullian, who had been walking towards the archives near the emperor's quarters noticed this. He sighed and shook his head. He would have to speak to the emperor about the proper place for a wife to live. It wasn't good policy to have one's spouse living on the outskirts of the city, people might start rumours.

Commodus felt dream after dream trying to become clear in his mind. One finally made it through. Part of it seeming wonderful and the other being near a nightmare. In front of him, sitting in his chambers were his mother and father. He stared at them in confusion for a moment until his mother spoke up.

"That was absoloutely amazing, my prince. You defended your sister, the empire, and your beloved so passionately.", his mother said softly. Commodus smiled slightly.

"I've never seen such a magnificent display.", Marcus added. Commodus glared at him.

"You. You were cruel beyond reason to me!", Commodus shouted. He felt the mindset of a little boy taking over at the sudden appearance of both his parents. "He was, mother. He was a monster!"

"I know.", Faustina said sadly. Both she and Marcus looked at one another in sorrow. Marcus cleared his throat and turned to the boy.

"Commodus, I was not a father to you. I may not have been the one to sire you, but I should have at least given you what every child deserves; the safety of a father. I regret my vices towards you terribly.", the old man said looking down. "I wrote to you of the four chief virtues so that you and I might both forget my four chief vices. Have I ever told you what they are?"

"No.", Commodus replied plainly.

"Hatred, ignorance, complacency, and regret.", Marcus said. "I'm afraid I exhibited the worst of all of them towards you.", Marcus answered taking Faustina's hand. "You are more than capable of being without all of those, Commodus. I saw that in life, perhaps it infuriated me."

"That aside, Marcus, there is still the matter of Ursa Luna.", Faustina added. Commodus stared at the form of the beautiful woman. She stood from the couch and strode over to the young ruler's bedside. She reached down and placed a hand on his head. "She isn't at your side any longer."

"Are you spirits or am I dreaming?", Commodus asked in confusion. The two laughed.

"A little of both, my comfort.", Faustina replied as she kissed the top of his head gently. Commodus suddenly realized that it would have to be a dream for Marcus to apologize. Marcus had become cordial to him when he had recieved powers at the age of fourteen. Marcus had wanted more than anything to have a son of his own on the throne, but had lost the majority of that vision when he had grown a little senile.

"Mother, the throne isn't what I thought it would be. I cannot rule with the senate still in power.", Commodus said looking up at the woman with trepidation. "They want me dead. Most everyone wants me dead."

Faustina smiled softly and sat down on the edge of the bed beside her son. "Do you remember what I told you when Titus died?", she asked. Commodus shook his head, still staring at his mother. "I told you that there will be times when life seems impossible because of others. All that is left for us to do is remember who we are without them. Without the senate, my dear, you are still emperor. You have power with or without them. Your power will not increase without them. In fact, you may find yourself needing more guidance if you don't have their machinations as an example for you to not follow in their stead. Think of all of your tribulations as a fee lesson in what is wrong. Simply learn to observe with a willing mind."

"And learn when to take action when it is necessary.", Marcus added. Commodus turned to him looking up curiously.

"What do you mean?", he asked.

"When you awaken, Ursa will not be with you. She has been your focus for nearly a fortnight. You truly have love for her and won't be likely to find that again.", Marcus explained. Commodus now looked more troubled than ever. "You will have to prove your power as both a strong ruler and good husband."

"What do I do?", he asked softly. Faustina took her son's chin in her hand, looking sweetly into his face as she had done when he was a toddler.

"That is for you to decide. There is little else we can tell you. You need to look to those around you for guidance now, you are a man.", Faustina instructed. "Now, you should try and rest. You have endured more these past few days than ever in your life."

Commodus looked up at her in terror. He missed his mother terribly, he couldn't simply allow her to leave now. Faustina smiled and rose from the bed disappearing. Commodus shouted and grabbed for her hand. He felt his hand move downward through the air, nothing was there to grasp. He choked for a moment and squeezed his eyes shut. Marcus appeared beside him and placed a hand gently on his shoulder.

"I am so sorry, child. Still, I am more than impressed by your strength and courage.", the old man said tenderly before disappearing as well. Commodus breathed heavily as he felt a loneliness settle over him. He tried to stand and run out the door to try and find them. He had never been so desperate for anything in his life. As he stood and felt the cold of the floor beneath him, his eyes opened. He drew in a deeper breath and sat up slightly. The servant that had waited in the room with him immediately took the draught and offered it to the young emperor. Commodus looked at the young man in silence for a long moment. Galen entered the room a few beats later. Commodus turned and faced the man, still feeling quite ill. Galen walked over to the servant and relived him of the charge in watching the emperor. Galen smiled at his commander in admiration.

"Back in the world of mortals, I see. That is good. You'll recover entirely in about three days.", Galen said as he handed him the cup firmly. Commodus accepted it and looked up at the older healer sadly.

"Ursa isn't here, is she?", he asked softly. Galen frowned.

"She has returned home with her brother. Lady Lucilla made sure that it was safe for them to leave the palace before they were escorted home.", Galen explained. "She watched over you as long as she could. I fear her mind may be a little unstable after the upsets that she had here in the palace."

Commodus glared at the physician as he drank the fluid. Galen had a very poor view on the constitution and fortitude of women. He would have to change that, at least while the man was in his presence. He sighed. There were several things he needed to change and soon. He needed to do one thing at a time, but he was confused as to which was the most important. He looked out the window for a moment, suddenly feeling the chill of the air settle over him. He smiled a little. He was emperor, he had practically all power on the earth. He had already voiced to a number of people that Ursa was his wife, and that was all that was required to make it so. He would simply have to prove his power to her. He sighed and laid back. There were several matters he would tend to first to stave off any further injustices to the people that insighted a craving for violence against him. After all of that was under way, he could claim his bride.


	32. The Emperor Takes a Wife

Chapter 32: The Emperor Takes a Wife

It had been a good three days before Commodus had returned to full imperial duty. Until then, the overseeing of much of the empire went to Senator Gracchus and not Lady Lucilla. Lucilla had been terrified by the recent events and needed time to recover completely. Lucius seemed to feel his mother's anxiety over the matter and stayed quietly out of the way as well. Quintus had been ordered to keep Maximus in the servants' quarters for the time being and arrange for the gladiator and the emperor to meet. After signing several documents that removed free marshal law among the Praetorians and soldiers, Commodus walked into the throne room to meet with Maximus. The morning had just broken over the capital, giving light to another day of limbo in the life of the young ruler. Maximus had, in the meantime, been given more than ample time to study the scrolls from Tertullian and speak at length with Quintus. He had misjudged young Commodus on many counts. There was no denying that the emperor was fairly immature, hot tempered, and often poor in his manners; but he was not a hardened murderer. He was simply a struggling young man trying to handle the throne of the largest government on earth while being prone to bad advice. Maximus felt a little unnerved that someone so callow was on the throne and making the decisions that would shape the lives of millions of people; but if given the proper guidance, Commodus might prove a great example of a leader even by comparison to his late father.

Maximus walked into the throne room where the young monarch sat on his throne looking more genuinely confident than ever. Maximus remembered seeing the boy as a younger teenager and a toddler; it was very strange indeed to see the once timid and tearful young boy sitting on the imperial throne with the authoritative crown that marked all of the rulers of the empire. It didn't seem real. Maximus held back a soft chuckle and simply bowed instead. Commodus nodded to him and stood, ceremoniously, before walking towards him. Maximus stood still and watched his commander approach cautiously.

"I thank you for the quick action you took in helping me disarm the enemy a few nights ago. You and Quintus saved my family.", Commodus said smiling.

"Cicero had a firm hand in it as well.", Maximus added.

"Cicero has been saving mine and my family's life for years now, it just hasn't been as apparent until now.", Commodus said softly. "Now, I will do as I promised.", the young ruler stated proudly as he withdrew a beautiful dagger. He handed it to Maximus, sheathed. Maximus looked at it for a moment before accepting it. He looked up at Commodus and frowned. He set the dagger on the ground and stepped away from it looking back at the young man with a slight smile. Commodus smiled back, acknowledging the gesture with more than gratitude. He cleared his throat. "Maximus Decimus Meridias, you have risked your life in the service of the emperor. I offer my hand to you once more."

With that, Commodus held out his right hand carefully. Maximus grasped his friend's hand and looked down for a moment. A brief and akward second passed between the two. He looked up at his leader's face and then pulled him by the hand into a masculine embrace.

"You loved your father, I know. So did I.", Maximus said softly. "He loved you. It was hard to see, but he believed in you to some extent or another."

"I know.", Commodus said softly. "My father said once that it's all a dream, a frightful dream; life is." He looked at Maximus emotionlessly for a moment. "Do you think that's true?"

"No. It is many dreams, Caesar. It is both good and bad, both being temporary.", Maximus explained standing a few feet away from the youth. "It is the thought that pain is short lived in every sense that makes our lives worth living."

"And is happiness short lived as well?", Commodus asked almost mournfully.

"Absoloutely. Happiness is very temporary. What humanity should seek is contentment, that lasts far longer."

"I had contentment for one night. I don't know what to do about Ursa. I love her so much, I want her to be my wife, but she has refused me.", Commodus said sitting down on the steps again and sighing heavily.

Maximus began laughing. Commodus looked up at him, scowling a little at the mockery. Maximus cleared his throat and stood over the young man with a hand on his shoulder.

"Are you forgetting who you are? You are Caesar. If you have declared that Ursa is your wife, then she cannot refuse you.", Maximus pointed out. Commodus stopped and thought about this for a moment. "But, if you ever bring hurt or sadness to her I will be the third in line to make you suffer horribly."

Commodus nodded and looked away slightly. Maximus frowned at seeing the emperor's sudden sadness.

"Will she love me if I order her to be mine?", he asked sadly. Maximus grinned brightly.

"She loves you now, it torments her. Remember that Ursa has had a sheltered life. Love aside from that which is given to her by her elders must be very frightening.", Maximus reasoned. "Besides, she feels responsible for her brother and is probably trying to use him as an excuse not to face her true feelings."

Commodus smiled in slight amusement at this. In his experience in listening to his sister and the other women in the palace talking amongst each other, it was usually the opposite in a relationship. As the man, he should have been the one denying his true feelings and resisting commitment. It was almost funny. He looked up at his renewed friend with renewed resolve and stood calmly. Just as he was about to exit the throne room with his friend, in waltzed Tertullian with an angry scowl and scroll in his hand. As the old scholar approached him, Commodus reached out and snatched the scroll away from him, wadding it into a tiny ball. Tertullian stared at the young man in shock. The emperor had usually cowered before him when he had come in to chastise him. At the moment, he felt it his obligation to chastise the young man for not taking his commitment to Ursa to heart enough to document their marriage yet. Commodus looked at the older man firmly.

"Tertullian, answer me this; do you have a wife?", Commodus asked directly.

"Yes, sire.", Tertullian replied.

"And where does she reside?", Commodus continued.

"With me at our home, sire.", Tertullian said proudly.

"And does Quintus have a wife, Tertullian?"

"Of course, sire."

"And where does she reside?", Commodus asked as he began to pace casually. Tertullian rolled his eyes.

"With him and their children at their home, Caesar.", Tertullian answered annoyedly.

"And does my fa-, I mean, senator Gracchus have a wife?", Commodus said stopping in front of the scribe, smiling brightly.

"He _did_, sire.", Tertullian said in slight confusion. Commodus nodded and looked a little sad himself at hearing this.

"And where did she reside?", Commodus continued as he began to pace again.

"Sire, I fail to see where this is going.", Tertullian said with a yawn. Commodus turned to him sternly.

"I asked you a question, Tertullian.", he countered. The old man sighed heavily.

"She resided with him at their home, sire.", he answered.

"So it stands to reason that the best place for a wife is at home with her husband, doesn't it?", Commodus asked with a bright grin.

"Without a doubt, sire.", Tertullian replied quickly.

"Good then. I shall need my horse readied. I need to bring my wife home.", Commodus said feeling the enthusiasm of a child about to ride their first horse.

"Sire, you haven't declared Ursa as your wife before the senate.", Tertullian added as the emperor began to leave the room.

"Not yet. I feel that she should be present for such an event, don't you Maximus?", Commodus asked lightly.

"Absoloutely, Caesar.", Maximus answered.

"Good. Gather fifty of my Praetorians and Quintus. I will not have my wife accompanying me defenseless.", Commodus added as he strode out of the room. "Now, I think this will require a change of clothing."

Maximus laughed in sheer hapiness and excitement for the first time in months. He followed the young monarch to his quarters and stood near the door as his friend went through the imperial wardrobe. The white vestments that he had donned for the initial battle with Maximus in the arena had been repaired and cleaned over the past few days. He took it out, piece by piece and examined it thoughtfully. He smiled brightly and almost sang aloud as he put every accessory on himself. Maximus watched in admiration. It almost made him truly sorrowed to see another man getting ready to enjoy something that he had just recently been denied. The fact that a friend that he felt guilty for wounding was not allowing the harm to phase him was refreshing and nearly enough to distract him from the misery of his widowerhood. Commodus finished by placing a sterling silver laurel wreath on his head. He stood before a full lenght mirror near the end of his chambers and admired himself thoroughly. He was brilliant in the pure white, appearing as a perfect marble statue sculpted by the finest artist in the empire. He smiled and breathed deeply as he turned to Maximus.

"Are you nervous?", Maximus asked with a grin.

"Excited.", Commodus replied. "Let's go. I can't live without her much longer."

"Allow me, sire.", Maximus offered as he opened the door. Commodus nodded to his friend and left the room with Maximus only a few inches behind. The two men walked hurriedly to the frontmost entrance to the palace. Quintus and the other Praetorian entourage that the emperor had ordered were at the ready on horseback. Quintus and the men rode magnificent black stallions while Commodus's proud white Arabian stood at attention for his master. The horse had been saddled and bridled in cermenious silver and purple decorations symbolizing both the emperor's marriage and royal authority. The men saluted their commander proudly and watched as he mounted the beast in one smooth movement. Maximus looked around for a moment in disappointment. Quintus suddenly rode up to him holding the reigns of another stallion. Maximus nodded to his old friend and mounted the steed. He couldn't miss this. Commodus turned to Quintus and nodded. Quintus moved the guards into formation. As the group was about to ride away into the city, Gracchus appeared on the steps and called to the emperor. Commodus turned to him, practically giddy for the moment.

"Call the senate to order and have a scribe at the ready, senator. Today, I bring my wife into the palace and take her to my side.", Commodus ordered excitedly. Gracchus smiled and bowed politely before rushing off to complete the task. Commodus turned back to face Quintus. Quintus shouted the order to the rest of the men and the group began to move towards the outskirts of the city. As they rode, slowly as possible, down the main road; several citizens began to gather to see about the commotion. Before long, word had spread of the emperor's desire. The citizens all began to celebrate, gathering up flowers and gathering back on the sides of the street for the parade that the emperor would soon make back to the palace with their new queen. Commodus smiled and breathed as deeply as he could to stay calm. The entourage followed Quintus's direction. Quintus had recieved directions from Cicero before the incident outside the city in case Lucius met with harm. The procession stopped in front of a small stone home. This was a commune for Christians, scholars, tutors, and orphans. It was quite bare as far as comforts, but the people that came from the homes appeared as bright faced and healthy as any royal. Commodus smiled to them and dismounted. Quintus led the way to the door and began to knock harshly.

"Open the door, in the name of the emperor.", he ordered. Commodus waited patiently as the door began to open. It was time to claim what he had sought for since his childhood; love, true love. The door opened wide.


	33. Let Me Call You Husband

!!!!Warning!!!! This chapter contains sexual content that may not be appropriate for persons under the age of seventeen!!!! 

Chapter 33: Let Me Call You Husband

Cicero stood in the open doorway and stared out in amazement at the troop that was on his doorstep. Commodus didn't have the patience to wait any longer. He moved in front of Quintus and up to Cicero. The two stared at each other silently for only a second.

"I've come for my wife. Where is Ursa?", he asked in one breath. Cicero frowned a little. He really did not want to give up his baby sister to this man. Ursa meant the world to him, for the past seventeen years she had been his only world. Commodus looked at him more closely. "Brother, where is Ursa?"

Cicero felt a stab at the use of that word. The little whelp was serious about this, serious enough to consider him family. Then again if he was willing to call him family and ask for Ursa rather than barge in and take her, then perhaps there was good in him after all. He examined the young ruler's expression deeply for a moment, noting the genuiune concern and need in the young man's face. Cicero gave an approving smile and then allowed the youth inside.

"I will go and get her.", Cicero said slowly. Commodus nodded enthusiastically and began to pace. Cicero found himself very amused by the anxiety his emperor was feeling for being seperated from his sister. It was absoloutely hilarious. He walked into the room that he and Ursa had shared for months since being in the capital. He walked over to her as she sat at a small desk and read over a parchment from an independant scribe. She looked up at her brother and smiled. He cleared his throat and put a hand on her shoulder. "You have a visitor."

"Really? Who?", Ursa asked as she stood.

"Well, Quintus for one. And Maximus.", Cicero began. Ursa moved past him. Cicero breathed a heavy sigh of relief. He hadn't wanted to be the one to explain to Ursa that Commodus was there and proclaiming to everyone that he spoke to that she was his wife. He followed his sister quickly into the other room, effectually blocking any means she had of darting back to the room. Ursa stopped dead when she met the gaze of her former master. Commodus smiled brightly at seeing her. Ursa frowned and spun around quickly to go back to the room. Cicero stood in her way, turning her back to face the young man forcefully.

"What do _you_ want, highness?", Ursa asked coldly. Commodus straightened his expression. Ursa was indeed trying to keep herself from feeling any tenderness for him at the moment. No matter, in a few moments he would have them married and then in one another's arms for eternity.

"Ursa Luna, I declared us as married nearly a week ago. Why are you not at our home?", he said flatly. Ursa glared at him.

"You never asked me to marry you and I do not recall consenting to such a thing.", she said turning away. Cicero again forced her to face the young man, now feeling more like a parental figure than he had in weeks.

"I am not bound by law to ask, Ursa Luna. Am I not emperor? You however do have to obey. Now come along so that we can be presented before the senate properly.", Commodus stated firmly. Ursa scoffed and tried to turn back again. This time, Cicero held her sternly in place with her head facing her new husband. "Come, Ursa."

"No.", Ursa said proudly. She knew that around her, Commodus was a different person than around anyone else in the empire; he was vulnerable. She hadn't counted on the events of the past few days changing his demeanor so greatly. Commodus smiled brightly.

"Perhaps you don't understand me, darling. Come with me, now.", he said slowly as he moved towards her. Ursa tried desperately to get away from her brother, but Cicero held her firmly in front of him. She growled at him. "Do not make me become forceful with you, beloved."

"Stop saying that!", Ursa shouted. Commodus reached her and took her by the arms. "You wouldn't dare!" He chuckled and lifted her over his shoulder effortlessly. "_**Commodus**_!", she shrieked in surprise. "Stop this, right now! You take me back! Cicero!?!", she shouted defiantly as she smacked the young man's shoulder and back with all the strength she dared, remembering that he still had wounds from a recent scourging.

"Come along, brother.", Commodus said turning back to Cicero for a moment. "I wouldn't do this without all of our family present.

"Yes, Caesar.", Cicero said. He was rather enjoying someone else taking care of Ursa as he had done.

"You horrible, horrible little man! Do you hear me? _Little_! Put me back now or I'll scream!", she ranted. Commodus walked over to his horse and set Ursa over it. As she scrambled to try and get down, he swept up onto the steed and situated her in front of him. "Let me go! I'll bite you! Take me back!"

Commodus ignored her raving and began to ride quickly, yet ceremoniously back to the palace. The peoples that had gathered on the streets now began to shout praises and sing at the processeion passing them. The ones with flowers began to toss them happily at the 'newlyweds'. It wouldn't be the first time that an emperor had claimed a bride and escorted her home; but this instance didn't have the young lady coming from a foreign realm, she was simply crossing the city. Commodus beamed as he held onto Ursa and rode up to the senate steps with her. She continued to fight with him as he dismounted. He grabbed her harshly and placed her back over his shoulder, carrying her up the steps and inside.

"Senators.", he said calmly as he strode into the centre of the senate room.

The senators watched in complete amusement at this scene. None so amused as Gracchus, who felt a swell of pride at seeing his son carrying his wife. He had loved Anna Faustina more than anything and had vowed to her when she had contracted the plague that caused her brain spasm, to always look out for their son and see to his hapiness and safety. The old man's bruises and wounds from the previous week were healing nicely, though still quite noticeable. Commodus gently set Ursa down and held onto both her hands tightly.

"To order!", Gracchus called as the rest of the men silenced their snickering and comments on the situation. The troop that had led the way into the city and returned with the emporer, entered the room as well and stood near the young couple. Ursa continued to fight with him. "The senate has been called together at your request, Caesar. What is it that brings us here?"

"I call it love. This is Ursa Luna. She is my wife and I am her husband. Now I shall hold her to me and embrace her before the people of Rome. I declare that on the fifteenth day of the fifth month, not but seven days prior to this; I, Lucius Aelius Marcus Aurelius Commodus Antonius, took Ursa Luna of the house of Cicero to be my wife.", he stated firmly and proudly. Ursa was too busy physically struggling to break free of his grasp than to contest this at the moment. He looked at all of the old men with a contented smile. "Has the senate anything to say about this matter before the scribes make it official?"

"You bride appears apprehensive, sire. Perhaps she would rather be alone with you than here at the moment for a proper wedding night.", one of the senators jested aloud. The rest of the senate burst into laughter along with the Praetorians. Commodus smiled brightly and laughed as well. Ursa shouted indignantly and struggled harder with him.

Gracchus moved forward. "Caesar has spoken. Hail Ursa Luna, queen and wife of the emperor!", Gracchus shouted happily. The rest of the senate repeated in agreement. Commodus nodded to them and began to walk out of the room, trying to drag Ursa with him. Ursa planted her heels firmly into the floor and refused to budge. Commodus looked at the rest of the senate and smiled brightly.

"It is rather fetching for them to play hard to get, isn't it?", he joked as he hoisted her back over his shoulder. Ursa began shouting threats and insults as he carted her up the stairs and out into the palace. The two walked down the hallway and towards the imperial bedchamber. Ursa fought madly, now beginning to get more violent. They passed Tertullian's office. The old scholar looked up in admiration as the young man passed, carrying his 'catch' over his shoulder proudly. The two walked up to the door of the room. Commodus looked at the guards firmly. "My wife and I are not to be disturbed for any reason. If the empire falls, inform me when I open this door. Am I clear?"

"Yes, Caesar.", the two men said in amusement.

Commodus pushed the doors open and strode in calmly. He walked over to the enormous bed and threw Ursa into the centre of it. Ursa tried to climb off the bed and race to the other side of the room, but he was much too fast for her. In one movement, he leapt onto the bed and straddled her, holding her wrists down with both hands. She continued to try and move away from him. He smiled and looked her over, devouring her with his eyes.

"Get off of me! Let me go!", she shouted angrily.

"This is no way to behave before your husband.", he said firmly, lifting her for a moment and then pushing her back onto the bed by her wrists. "Like it or not at this moment, Ursa, you are my wife. Say it."

"No.", she growled. He smiled wickedly and moved closer to her, hovering an inch in front of her face. Ursa quickly leaned to one side and bit his hand lightly. Commodus shouted in surprise for a moment, then turned his gaze back to her. He cocked one brow and smiled more deviously. "Get off me or I'll scream so loudly your head will explode!"

"Promises, promises.", Commodus mused, remaining over her. "You don't have a reason to scream, darling; yet." He reached forward and nipped her shoulder lightly. Ursa gave a small shout. He moaned slightly and then moved to her neck, giving it a playful nip as well. Ursa moved furiously to try and free herself of him. He growled and nipped her ear, lingering beside her face. "You are my wife. Say it.", he whispered in a husky voice, his mouth tracing her jawline seductively.

"No.", she growled firmly once more. He smiled. He moved his hands away from her wrists long enough to remove his top and then took hold of her once more. He looked deeply into her eyes. There was no hatred for him, not really. There certainly wasn't the same fear and anger that had been there the first time she had been mistakingly brought into his quarters. She was willing, just angry with herself for allowing her senses down around him once before. Ursa was not used to being romanced, she was used to obeying her brother and other figures in authority. Commodus had tried to be tender with her once. While it had worked that night, he would need to be as forceful as any of the other authority figures in her life if he was to have anykind of lasting relationship with her. He reached one hand over the other, holding both her wrists firmly in one hand above her head. He said nothing as he reached down with his free hand and began disrobing her. Ursa shrieked as he managed to pull the soft clothing off of her and toss it to the floor. He leaned close to her face once more, touching their noses together carefully.

"You are my wife, Ursa. Say it.", he whispered. She glared at him.

"No.", she repeated angrily. He smiled and pressed his mouth to hers, kissing her deeply. Ursa cried out between both of their mouths as he pressed his body against hers; crushing her resistance with his warmth for her. Their breaths beagn to mingle, creating a strong current of electricity between the two of them. To his delight, Ursa relaxed a little and deepened herself into the kiss. He moved upward, forcing her head backwards and her breath to heighten. Ursa moaned, cursing the heat that was within her for him. He moved his face awy from hers, still lingering a hair's breadth away from her. "I can't love you.", she whispered.

"You already have.", he replied moving his cheek against hers. "I need you, Ursa. You are my world, my breath, my wife. Say it."

Ursa looked up at him. For the first time in her life, she was experiencing a fear that wasn't unpleasant at all. She longed to be with him. She had wanted to be his since the day she had seen him in the catacombs. She looked up at him, trembling. To say that she was his wife would require relenquishing not only her own will to him, it would mean that she was an adult and no longer under constant need of her brother's care. She would be a completely different person living a completely different life. However, different seemed wonderful now. She wasn't truly relenquishing her free will, she was making her will his and he was about to do the same. She smiled slightly and moved her mouth to his ear.

"I am your wife, Commodus.", she whispered. "I love you."

"Then kiss me.", he whispered back. The two met in a passionate kiss once more. Ursa felt a wall of boiling water slam into her chest at feeling his presence in her spirit. The two moaned pleasurably and breathed deeply. He moved away for a moment, savouring the sight of the young beauty that had joined herself to him. "You know I love you.", he said softly.

Ursa gently pulled her hands free of his grasp. He allowed this noting that there was a hungry fire now burning behind her gaze. She sat forward and placed a hand on each side of his waist, placing her head against his chest and breathing deeply. Commodus tilted his head backwards and inhaled the moment. He looked back down at Ursa, who gazed up at him, desirously. He leaned her forward once more, moving slightly to remove the last pieces of clothing that restrained him. Ursa moved to accept him fully and smiled at him. He growled playfully and entered forcefully, causing the young girl to arch backwards and scream loudly as she had promised. She snarled as he moved away and readied to press himself into the centre of her love once more. She grabbed both his arms and bit softly onto his shoulder as they met again. The eager royal kept a faster pace this time, entering and exiting as if they had but a few seconds left to love one another.

Ursa was overcome with emotion already. She would fully release soon. Heat gripped the two as their bodies moved in sync with their breath and holy desire. Ursa arched herself once more and screamed loudly as a magnificent climax took hold of her. She breathed heavily and began to feel a second as he grasped her shoulders tightly and shouted in ecstasy. Release of sheer passion felt wonderful to him as his physical love met its full culmination within her. The second peak of delight took hold of the young girl. Ursa shouted louder than ever as the two collapsed onto one another again. They breathed heavily, trying madly to replenish what they had just expended in the proof of their need for each other. Commodus felt that the only way he could breathe more fully was to do so alongside the breathing of his wife. How wonderful it was to say that; his wife. He moved his mouth over hers once again, drinking in the sweet relief that pulsed from Ursa's heart and lungs at once. The two remained locked onto one another until falling into a peaceful sleep together. The world was perfect for now, just perfect.

A year later, Commodus walked into the throne room looking happily at the young man that was waiting for him.

"Brother.", Cicero said turning to face his brother-in-law excitedly. Commodus approached him and embraced him for a brief moment. "It doesn't seem right to be doing this after so many years. Especially after you and Ursa have been married for one year already."

"It will seem right when the two of you are finally alone together.", the young emperor reassured. Cicero nodded excitedly. "It will just be terribly strange for your younger sister to have a child older than your firstborn."

Cicero laughed at this as did the emperor. Both seemed to be on equal terms for the moment. Ursa had been with child for nearly four months now; and Cicero had been given Callistas, one of the emperor's concubines, to wife. Today was their wedding day. True to his word, Commodus had yet to take a concubine to his bed. In fact, it seemed to be a running joke with the whole of the capital that the emperor was too exhausted by the passions of his wife to have strength for another woman. The two looked at each other in admiration for a moment.

"My sister is in love with you, do you have any idea how strange that is?", Cicero asked with a smile.

"Not as you do.", Commodus replied with a smile. "Then again, I think that you have yet to know how truly wonderful she is."

"Certainly not as you do.", Cicero replied with a laugh. "Ursa felt kindly for you since the day you met. Did she tell you that?"

"Repeatedly. ", the young monarch breathed happily. A servant entered the throne room and bowed quickly. Commodus nodded to him. The servant darted out of the room as the emperor turned back to the manservant. "Are you ready?" Cicero smiled brightly and nodded. "Good. You look like you've been waiting for this for eternity."

"Not quite eternity, Commodus.", Ursa said as she walked in calmly. Commodus hurried to her and took her in his arms. The two kissed and held one another, swaying for a moment. They turned back to Cicero. "Come, brother. It's time." Cicero breathed deeply and watched his sister and her husband lead the way out of the room. Had he known over a year ago what sending his little sister into the palace to be with the emperor would bring to their family, he would have done so at the very start of the young Caesar's reign.


End file.
